


A Marriage of In(con)venience

by CloversDreams



Category: Great Pretender (Anime)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Banter, Blow Job, Confessions, Domestic Fluff, Fake Marriage, First Kiss, Humor, Language, Laurent is a flirty bastard, Laurent’s gratuitous use of terms of endearment, M/M, Makoto cooks, Multiple Orgasms, Mutual Pining, Plot With Porn, Prostate Orgasm, Realization of Feelings, Reverse Cowgirl, Semi-Public Sex, Whether they like it or not, a wee bit o hurt, alcohol to loosen the tongue, and a whole lot o comfort, and developing feelings, as they should - Freeform, bed sharing, everything sharing really, falling in love whether they like it or not, imagine being this in love and this aloof smh, persistent morning wood, showering together without leaving room for jesus, suddenly theyre doing it like rabbits, the boys shack up for a con, this is about them living together, verse kings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:20:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28733346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: “And that about wraps up the details of this new operation,” Laurent declared with his usual cocky grin upon his face. He looked around the pricey hotel room at the various expressions on the team’s faces and asked, “Are there any questions pertaining to what I just explained?”“Yeah, I’ve got one!” Makoto shouted. He jumped to his feet and motioned towards the projected image of his own face upon the wall. The ridiculous hearts that were photoshopped around his head did nothing but fuel his outrage as he exclaimed, “Why are you and I playing the ‘oh so in love couple’!?”“Everyone has their parts to play, as per the norm, Edamame.” Laurent explained. He shut his eyes and put his left hand against his own chest then added, “You just happened to be lucky enough to get partnered withmoithis time.”“You mean unfortunate enough,” A soft voice grunted from behind the blond.“You wound me, Abigail.” Laurent turned and pouted at her.
Relationships: Edamura Makoto/Laurent Thierry
Comments: 63
Kudos: 465





	1. Chapter 1

“And that about wraps up the details of this new operation,” Laurent declared with his usual cocky grin upon his face. He looked around the pricey hotel room at the various expressions on the team’s faces and asked, “Are there any questions pertaining to what I just explained?”

“Yeah, I’ve got one!” Makoto shouted. He jumped to his feet and motioned towards the projected image of his own face upon the wall. The ridiculous hearts that were photoshopped around his head did nothing but fuel his outrage as he exclaimed, “Why are you and I playing the ‘oh so in love couple’!?”

Laurent shut off the projector and started to clean up. He glanced at the now grumbling man as he explained, “I just went over this, do pay attention. The mark is a woman that gets her rocks off by sabotaging happy couples in her quaint little community, usually by means of sleeping with one of them then leaking that information to the other. As the queen bee of the area she’s ruined countless marriages and hasn’t faced a single consequence for her actions. She’s a bitter woman who can’t stand to see others find the happiness she never did.”

“I heard all that, yeah, it wasn’t the point of the question…” Makoto grumbled as he walked over to where the blond was cleaning up. He looked at the picture Laurent had chosen of himself then rolled his eyes. Some professionally done shot with him at a pool or something. He was shirtless, dripping wet, and running a hand through his hair. How was that shot even relevant to any of this? He probably had a hundred thousand other pictures that could’ve worked just fine right on his phone, but he’d made the conscious effort to go with something ridiculous.

“Everyone has their parts to play, as per the norm, Edamame.” Laurent explained. He shut his eyes and put his left hand against his own chest then added, “You just happened to be lucky enough to get partnered with _moi_ this time.”

“You mean unfortunate enough,” A soft voice grunted from behind the blond.

“You wound me, Abigail.” Laurent turned and pouted at her. In response she silently flipped him off. He shrugged it off easily enough and continued on what he was doing.

Abigail laid her head back against the couch and sighed, “Are we even sure that a virgin can handle this kind of job?”

“I’m not a virgin!” Makoto shrieked.

“He’s _definitely_ not a virgin,” Laurent agreed with a wink in her direction.

“Hey!” Makoto turned towards the blond and waved his fist in the air. “Don’t agree like you have firsthand knowledge on the subject!” He looked over at Abigail and saw her deadpan expression which said loud and clear that she didn’t buy that for a second. A snort caught his attention then he glanced over at Cynthia to see that she was doing her best to thwart a laugh. Makoto made an x with his arms and squeezed his eyes shut as he yelled, “He _doesn’t_!”

“All in due time, little soybean,” Laurent hummed.

Both women burst into a fit of laughter and Makoto glared at the blond. He couldn’t help but blush since it was yet again at his expense. Though it was nice to hear them having a good time, he supposed. Bright sides and all that. He grunted when he was suddenly slapped hard on the back then turned to see the biggest thorn in his side standing way too close to him.

“Either way, our little soybean can play the part of the lovey-dovey newlywed. He’s actually a pretty decent actor, you know.” Laurent said. He eyed the dark-haired woman when he heard another snort and asked, “Do you really doubt him this much, Abigail?”

Abigail looked over Laurent and his clearly expensive outfit that he’d put actual thought into before he got dressed this morning then glanced at Makoto. She looked back at the blond and sighed, “Aren’t you supposed to be some super rich douche? Just look at him with the bedhead and raggedy clothes. He’s not good enough for you by a long shot.” She shrugged and shook her head. “Plan won’t work.”

“What!” Makoto squeaked. He put his hand on his hair in an attempt to tame it then turned his head away from the lot of them and pouted.

“Ah, if that’s all it is then there’s no problem.” Laurent stepped closer to Makoto and put his hands on his shoulders. “A little makeover will surely change your mind. He cleans up real nice, after all.”

Makoto wanted to agree. He wanted to defend his honor and all that, but he was so distracted by the fact that he could feel Laurent’s breath on the back of his neck. What the heck was this guy’s problem? Did he have no concept of personal space? Sheesh! He all but leaped away from the guy then rubbed his neck and grumbled, “Still don’t know why I had to be one of the newlyweds.”

Laurent held out his hands and shrugged as he replied, “Everyone else has their roles to fulfill which require their unique sets of skills.” His grin widened as he eyed Makoto. “What’s wrong? Not up for such a simple task?” Laurent tapped on his chin as he thought about it. “I can look elsewhere for a co-lead if need be. I’m pretty sure that a few of my old contacts in this country still owe me a favor.”

Makoto snatched the wine bottle from Cynthia’s hand, ignoring her whine of protest, and took a swig directly from it. He narrowed his eyes at Laurent and declared, “I didn’t say I couldn’t do it! Heck, I’ll be even more convincing than you! Wait and see!”

“Is that so?” Laurent hummed with a devious grin. “Well then I look forward to it… darling.”

Makoto cringed at the pet name. Oh, boy. He needed to get that reaction in check and fast. He frowned at Laurent’s stupid chuckle afterwards. The guy really did enjoy torturing him. Laurent had already moved onto chatting with Abigail about something or other. Makoto let out an exasperated sigh then plopped down onto the couch and took another sip of wine before Cynthia snatched the bottle back from him. It was quite possible that he’d really bitten off more than he could chew this time around.

Cynthia finished off what was left in the bottle then shouted, “All right, it’s makeover time!”

“Wha– _now_?” Makoto barely had a chance to ask before she jumped to her feet and grabbed his arm then pulled him off the couch. Cynthia started to ramble about all the fun she had shopping for clothes that she thought would suit his character. All Makoto could do was look over his shoulder and silently ask for help from the other two. Needless to say, he didn’t get it.

Abigail waved goodbye while Laurent turned his head away and held up his hand so they couldn’t look at one another. His voice was laced with his obvious amusement as he hummed, “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”

“I’m _not_ the bri–!” Makoto yelped as Cynthia pulled him into the closest bedroom and shut the door behind them.

Makoto could hardly believe the incredible spread of outfits that were laid out across the bed. Just how much money had she spent on what looked like a year-round wardrobe. How long did they all think this con would take them? He didn’t get the chance to ask before Cynthia started to tug at his shirt. Makoto yelped and assured her that he could do it himself. She grinned then sat in a comfortable looking chair in the corner.

After trying on more outfits than he ever had in his life, Makoto was relieved to hear that Cynthia finally approved of one. He let out an exasperated sigh only to jolt in surprise when he felt a brush run through his hair. Evidently they weren’t quite finished. He sat on the edge of the bed and let her do her thing. He didn’t even know what that was she used to slick back his hair. Grease? Mousse? Not a product he tended to use on the regular either way. Well, not normal him at least. Perhaps his new character did.

Cynthia removed her fingers from his hair and picked up a towel she’d laid on the bed. She took a step back and inspected her handiwork as she wiped her hands. Cynthia nodded as she hummed, “Sometimes I even amaze myself.”

Makoto smiled a crooked smile at her.

“Let’s go show you off, come on!” Cynthia chirped. She practically skipped from the room then cleared her throat loudly and declared, “Introducing the new and improved mister Makoto Edamame-Thierry.”

“That’s _not_ my name,” Makoto grumbled.

“Never mind that, little details are trivial,” Cynthia whispered loudly. “Come on out and show everyone the new you.”

Makoto rolled his eyes and shook his head. He brushed off the front of his blazer then did as was requested and stepped out of the room. Next to him Cynthia let out a soft ‘tada’ then applauded. Makoto looked up from the ground to see both Laurent and Abigail watching him. It was so embarrassing knowing they were judging him for the way he looked. His cheeks burned no matter how much he willed them to stop and he pouted to hold back the frown that wanted to spread across his face.

The silence was a bit longer than he’d expected and that was unnerving. Finally, Makoto couldn’t take it anymore and he looked up at the pair. Abigail had her usual deadpan expression on her face, ever impossible to impress. Laurent had his head turned to the side and his fingers curled over his mouth. What was he doing? Holding back a laugh? Great. Just another ding in Makoto’s confidence.

“What’s with the lack of reaction? Tell me I did an amazing job!” Cynthia whined.

Laurent stiffened at her words, apparently knocked out of whatever daydream he’d been lost in. He turned towards the pair with that smile of his on his face and nodded. He clapped his hands together and hummed, “Of course you did, my dear. I’m impressed.” He watched as she beamed at him in response. Laurent walked over to them and leaned into Makoto’s personal space which made the shorter man lean away with a frown. He stood upright again and declared, “However, I think my character would be into that ‘I just got out of bed and couldn’t care less if you knew’ look.”

“What’s that supposed to me– hey!” Makoto yelped when Laurent tousled his slicked-back hair so it was messy again.

“There we are. _Parfait_.” Laurent nodded at his handiwork. He took note of the scowl on Makoto’s face then bopped his nose and said, “Goes well with that natural attitude of yours, too.”

“Wha–!”

“Opposites attract,” Abigail muttered. “Makes sense.”

“Right?” Laurent tossed his arm around Makoto’s shoulders and squished their cheeks together. He smiled at her and hummed, “Don’t we make so much more sense like this?”

Abigail was silent while she looked them over. Smiley Laurent and pouty Makoto didn’t move a muscle as she came to her conclusion. She looked away nonchalantly then said, “There’s a slim chance that the plan might not insta-fail.”

“Ladies and gentleman we have our seal of approval!” Laurent exclaimed at the same time as Cynthia cheered next to him. He laughed loudly then pat Makoto on the back and said, “Which is great news since we’re moving into our new home tomorrow afternoon.”

“Hah?” Makoto jolted in surprise. He shook his head and shouted, “That’s way too soon!”

“We’re working within a limited timeframe, Edamame. Besides, a pair of lovebirds like us would just _need_ to get into that newly available dream home in the community. We’re going to start out the rest of our lives the right way, just you and me and all the sweet nothings you’ll whisper into my ear.”

“I’m gonna be sick if you keep talking like that…” Makoto grumbled. He put his hands against Laurent’s chest and pushed him so he was at arm’s length.

“Wait ‘till you see our wedding bands!” Laurent chirped, unbothered by the lack of enthusiasm about the situation. He reached into his pants pocket then made a face and stuck his hand in the other.

Makoto’s voice was dripping with his exasperation as he asked, “You got them made already?”

“A friend owed me a favor,” Laurent hummed with a wink. He let out a soft ‘ah’ when he finally found what he was looking for. Laurent held up a small black pouch and said, “Hold out your hand.”

Makoto did as was instructed, mostly out of curiosity. It’d be ridiculous to ask how Laurent had gotten his ring size. The guy would simply smile and give him a non-answer as he liked to do. He was silent as the blond untied the bad and emptied the contents into his palm. Makoto’s eyes widened at the sight of the black bands. That certainly was different. Each of them had a row of sparkling gems in the middle. He’d never seen anything quite like them, they were stunning.

“This one is yours,” Laurent explained as he picked one up so Makoto could see. “Engraved on the inside is the word ‘confidence’ for obvious reasons. Also, notice the lovely sapphires that go around the entirety of it. They match my eyes ever so perfectly, wouldn’t you say?”

“So you ended up making this totally about yourself somehow,” Makoto snorted. Why was he not surprised?

“ _Au contraire, mon chéri ,_” Laurent hummed. He set that band down in Makoto’s palm then picked up the other and showed him those gems. “Mine has a row of emeralds set in the middle.”

Makoto rolled his eyes. “Yeah, great. They’re sparkly.”

Laurent chuckled and shook his head. “Do I really have to spell it out for you, _Edamame_?”

Makoto’s eyes widened. Oh. Right, his ridiculous nickname. So both rings were designed to have an aspect that represented the other person. That was actually really thoughtful. He’d had no idea Laurent was capable of something so stinkingly romantic. Man, it was annoying. He should’ve thought of that first and beat the guy to the punch somehow. Makoto was so busy frowning that he didn’t even notice Laurent slip the one with the sapphires onto his finger.

“Tada, now we’re official!” Laurent chirped as he held up his own left hand and wiggled his fingers to show off his ring as well. “Doesn’t it make your heart sing?”

Makoto rolled his eyes then grumbled, “Isn’t the tradition that the person you marry puts your ring on you?”

Laurent tilted his head and blinked at him. “Is it? Do you want me to remove it then?”

“Why bother if you’re already wearing it?” Makoto snorted as he pulled his hand away from the blond. Not that traditions mattered in this case as the entire marriage was a sham. This whole plan relying on them playing the happy couple was utterly ridiculous. He rolled his eyes then turned towards Cynthia and asked, “Got any booze left?”

“We still celebrating?” Cynthia hummed.

“Something like that, yeah,” Makoto nodded.

“Then of course I do!” Cynthia laughed. She opened a new bottle of wine and poured four glasses then held hers up in a toast. “Cheers to the newlyweds! May their fake love flourish and our bank accounts grow!”

Everyone held up their own glasses and then took a sip as well. After that Laurent started to ramble on about how he couldn’t believe that his life as a sexy bachelor was finally over. He continued on about ‘the old ball and chain making an honest man out of him’, which made Makoto snort then roll his eyes. If nothing else, this con certainly would be the ultimate test of his patience.

*

Makoto was exhausted by the time he finally stepped foot into what was apparently his new home. They’d spent all morning packing boxes of stuff to bring along so they could decorate the place and sell the lie that they’d been together for a while. Most of this stuff was brand new and had no sentimental value whatsoever. Makoto wasn’t sure why Laurent couldn’t just doctor some photos and hang them up on his own. Alas, the blond insisted that they make the best of this situation since the con would be on the longer side.

On the outside the house looked just like the others in the gated community. Everything was pristine and perfectly kempt. Not a single blade of grass on the lawn dared to be out of place. It was all kind of suspicious. The setting felt like the perfect place for shady dealings to be happening in the background. He honestly couldn’t even imagine how much money Laurent had to pay upfront to be able to get into such an exclusive location. He wondered if it was even worth it.

Their arrival was expected and so they were greeted by none other than the queen bee herself when they arrived. This was Makoto’s first time seeing her in person, and he had to admit he was pretty stunned by just how lovely she was. Her photos didn’t do her justice at all. It was no wonder Laurent was so excited to get this con started so it could finally be over. She was rich, beautiful, powerful. The blond really wasn’t subtle in the slightest.

Laurent tossed his arm around his shoulders as he chatted the woman up. Makoto smiled and laughed at the appropriate moments, like the good husband he was. She invited them to a gathering of sorts, to celebrate their arrival. Of course they agreed with smiles on their faces. That sounded like a blast. The meet and greet didn’t last too long and then the pair were free to finally explore their new home.

The inside was as nice as one would expect. Also pristine. Kept in perfect condition by the previous owners, which was good. Makoto followed Laurent through the house as he gave him a quick tour. Kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom with its own bath, study, living room… yep everything seemed to be in order. It was definitely a house. One he’d have to share with the most annoying person he knew for the next few weeks. Terrific.

“The living room blinds are also room darkening,” Laurent said as he motioned towards the window, “which is good since that prevents anyone from peeking in on whatever intimate, husbandly things we may be doing.”

“Like working on the con,” Makoto said mostly to himself.

“Among other things, yes,” Laurent hummed. “Speaking of, go ahead and take a seat, I wanted to discuss it with you further.”

Makoto did as was requested. He watched the blond make sure the blinds were all the way down before he joined him and sat on the other end of the couch. Then he picked up a folder off of the corner table and opened it. To Makoto’s surprise, he’d been serious about discussing the con. It wasn’t some joke that lead to some ridiculous innuendo for once. In that case, he paid attention. He offered his input whenever necessary and by the end of it he swore he had a better feel for the plan. Afterwards he was left to wonder why Laurent couldn’t be so upfront and clear about all their cons.

Makoto leaned his elbow against the arm of the couch and rested his chin against his palm. He continued to watch the blond put that folder away so no prying eyes would fall upon it. The guy sure was unpredictable. Sometimes Makoto swore he knew what Laurent was about to say or do and then the opposite happened. It made him wonder if it was on purpose. Knowing him, it probably was. That wasn’t the only thing he was wondering about this evening.

“Why does this con end with you getting laid?” Makoto finally asked.

Laurent turned towards him, winked, then replied, “All perfect cons do.”

Makoto snorted and rolled his eyes. He should’ve expected an answer like that. This guy was truly insatiable.

“Plus, she keeps the code to her safe in her bra,” Laurent added, pointing to his chest for emphasis. “That means we need to get that off, which just so happens to be my specialty.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Makoto rolled his eyes. He looked off to the side and muttered, “Just don’t think I’d turn her down if she approached me instead of you. I can get the job done no problem and wouldn’t even brag about it unlike some people.”

“Oh dear, you’re such a little firecracker when you’re worked up,” Laurent laughed. He scooted closer to the other man until their thighs touched then asked, “So what should we have for our first dinner as a pair of horny newlyweds?”

Makoto jolted in surprise and yelped, “A pair of _what_!?”

Laurent held back a chuckle at the way his voice cracked. That coy grin of his spread across his face and he hummed, “If you don’t think I’d have sex on the brain every waking moment once I found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, you’re out of your mind.”

“Whatever.” Makoto tsked. Basically nothing would change, then. The guy always had sex on the brain. He rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Keep it to yourself.”

“Fair enough.” Laurent took out his phone and started to scroll. He tilted his head and blinked at the screen as he asked, “Should I order us some oysters, then? Perhaps chocolate covered strawberries and wine for dessert?”

Makoto jumped to his feet and shouted, “No! I’m going to cook!”

“Oh? How very sexy of you,” Laurent purred.

“Shut up, no it’s not,” Makoto grumbled. His cheeks were burning once again. Man, Laurent made that happen way too easily. The pain in the ass. He crossed his arms and added, “It’s a normal thing that normal people do.”

“Normally?” Laurent teased.

“Yes!” Makoto pouted when Laurent chuckled softly. Yeah, he was aware that he sounded ridiculous. He couldn’t help himself. It just happened whenever he had to deal with this guy. This was going to be one of those cons that felt like it lasted forever. He let out a soft sigh then rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled, “The dish I’m planning on making takes a while to prep and then forty minutes to cook so if you’re hungry now you don’t have to wait around. That woman mentioned a good restaurant nearby, right?”

“I’d never leave my sweet husband cooking at home all alone on our first night of the rest of our lives together.” Laurent winked then hummed, “I’m looking forward to it, darling.”

Makoto sucked his teeth and turned away from him. There was nothing more to say on the subject so he stomped off towards the kitchen. Luckily, he didn’t need to search for any of the pots and pans he needed and everything was already there. Not only that, but the fridge was also fully stocked. Part of him wondered if Laurent had someone else do that bit. He certainly didn’t seem the type to go out shopping himself if he could avoid it.

Oh, well. That wasn’t important. Makoto had to get the preparation finished so the meal could bake for the next hour or so. He didn’t really know why he’d chosen the dish he did, maybe it was a simple case of wanting to show off a bit. His culinary skills weren’t just limited to Japanese cuisine, after all. This dish was simple enough, but he wondered if he’d gotten a handle on the flavors or not. He’d find out soon enough. Until then, Makoto decided he’d make some dessert from scratch too. That’d keep him busy for a bit.

“Laurent! Dinner!” Makoto called from the kitchen. He’d just finished plating the dishes and now all he needed was his dining companion. He waited a moment with a pout. Makoto’s stomach rumbled loudly as if to remind him that he hadn’t eaten. “Laurent!”

The fact that there was still no answer made him grind his teeth. If that blond idiot was waiting for him to call him by some lovey-dovey pet name he could just sit there and starve for all Makoto cared. There wasn’t even anyone else around. The act wasn’t necessary right now. Makoto growled softly and grumbled some nonsense under his breath about how obnoxious the blond was. Not a moment later, Laurent wandered into the kitchen rubbing his eyes.

Laurent yawned then stretched. He offered Makoto a sleepy smile and said, “Sorry, I guess I was more exhausted than I realized. Did I miss anything?”

“Not especially.” Makoto mumbled. He motioned to the dishes on the counter and said, “Food’s ready.”

“Ah. Perfect, I’m starved.” Laurent’s smile stretched across his face. He walked over to the dishes and picked them up so he could bring them to the dining room. It was only after the scent reached his nostrils that he finally paused, glanced at his faux-husband, and asked, “What is this?”

“Chicons au gratin,” Makoto replied. The silence afterwards was unexpected, so he turned to look at the blond. To his surprise, Laurent seemed awestruck. That only made Makoto blush and hurry over to him so he could take the dishes out of his hands. He brought them to the dining room table himself and set them down. Then he sat in the seat at the end. There was no way he could even look at the guy as he muttered, “It’s not complicated or impressive so whatever. Just eat.”

Laurent joined him at the table without another word. He took a bite of the food and took a minute to really savor the flavor. After another taste he pointed his fork at Makoto and said, “This is delicious. You’re far more skilled than I ever would’ve imagined, Edamame. You’re going to make a great wife.”

“I’m _not_ your wife,” Makoto grumbled through gritted teeth. His cheeks burned and he stared at the food upon his plate as he added, “but I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure I’d gotten the flavors right.”

Laurent smiled warmly and replied, “It tastes like a comforting slice of home.”

Makoto grunted then stuffed some food into his mouth. He’d wanted it to be good, yeah, but he’d also expected Laurent to be snarky about it or something. He wasn’t prepared to deal with some sincere bullshit from the guy. What the hell?

Laurent watched him for a long moment. When Makoto glanced at him with his cheeks still that rosy hue his eyes widened. That look melted away as quickly as it appeared and he grinned as he dug his phone out of his pocket. He snapped a quick picture of the food then chirped, “I can’t wait to update the ladies on what a splendid husband you make! I really ended up hitting the jackpot with this con! They’ll want juicy details, of course. I’m sure I’ve got your permission to spill whatever beans I must.”

“You most certainly do not!” Makoto shrieked. He just knew that whatever Laurent told them would be worded in a way that made things sound weird or like something was happening that certainly wasn’t. His brow furrowed together and he glared at the stupid grin on the blond’s face as he continued to eat. Inconvenient didn’t even begin to describe this job, he was exasperated already.

Makoto fell face-first onto his bed then groaned into the pillow. The blue, silk sheets were soft against his skin. What a nice feeling after an impossibly long day. It felt like it went on just short of forever. From moving, to dealing with Laurent’s constant need for attention, he was beat. At least he finally had time to himself. This was his chance to catch up on some much-needed rest and he planned on making the best of it. He turned his head and shut his eyes, ready to let sleep claim him without a care.

“You’ll catch a cold if you fall asleep on top of the covers, Edamame.”

Makoto’s eyes snapped open and he yelped then rolled right out of bed. He landed on the ground with a very undignified thud. He laid there for a moment, wondering if he’d just been having a nightmare or something. When he heard a snicker he knew that wasn’t the case at all. Makoto jumped to his feet and pointed at Laurent as he yelled, “What are you doing in my room!”

Laurent gave him his best innocent look as he asked, “Where exactly do you expect me to sleep?”

“On the pull-out bed in the study!” Makoto exclaimed. That much had been obvious enough from the start.

“Can’t. My back wouldn’t survive a night on a mattress that can be folded like that.” Laurent disagreed with a shake of his head. He offered Makoto that coy grin of his and tilted his head as he said, “Besides, we’re supposed to be an oh-so-in-love couple. Sleeping in separate rooms doesn’t exactly back up that claim.”

Makoto snorted and rolled his eyes. As if anyone would even know about their sleeping arrangements. He crossed his arms then grumbled, “Sounds like a load of shit to me.”

“Then would you believe that I saw a spider?” Laurent asked.

Makoto simply blinked at him, completely deadpan. That absolutely didn’t warrant a response.

“I get lonely?” Laurent tried yet again, his smile never faltering.

“Ugh! Fine! Just… stay on your side!” Makoto shouted. He let himself fall back onto the bed then rolled over, so he faced away from the blond. He wasn’t bothered at all by the fact that the smooth shade of blue which covered the bed happened to match Laurent’s eyes, nope. He pulled the cover up over his head and didn’t say another word. He was too tired to deal with any of this right now. All he wanted to do was get some rest. They could figure out this nonsense in the morning. Right now, all that mattered was finally succumbing to sleep.

Makoto was so warm. It was nice. He opened his eyes and attempted to blink the grogginess out of them. Where… oh, that’s right, his new room in his new home. He’d get used to the sight in a few days or so. Makoto reached above his head and stretched lazily. Afterwards he shut his eyes and reached down to scratch his stomach. Only, that wasn’t what his hand landed upon.

He looked down and was immediately wide awake. An arm that definitely didn’t belong to him was not only around his waist but also up his shirt. And he’d been thinking about how nice the warmth was? No way. He took the thought back. Every single word. It never happened. There was no proof otherwise.

Maybe if he was careful he could move the arm that had him trapped and get out of bed without ever being noticed. Makoto attempted to do just that. As soon as he tried to lift Laurent’s arm the blond’s grip on him tightened and he cuddled up closer to his back. Then he snored softly. All right. That didn’t work. Makoto was ready to think up a new plan. Wait a second. What was that…? Makoto felt something pressed up against his backside and his brain refused to process it for a moment. As soon as it did, his eyes widened.

Oh.

My.

God.

This guy was totally shameless!

Makoto let out a cry that was a mix of a scream and yelp as he jumped out of bed. Consequences be damned he didn’t care anymore. His whole face burned with blush and he muttered incoherent nonsense to himself as he shook his head. This was not what he’d wanted to wake up to, no sir.

Laurent never even opened his eyes as he rolled onto his back and grumbled, “So noisy in the morning…”

“You!” Makoto shrieked. There was no way he could possibly control the volume of his voice right now and that wasn’t even sort of his problem. He pointed at Laurent and shouted, “Why were you hugging me! And what is _that_!”

“I’m a cuddler, Edamame, and I won’t apologize for that.” Laurent turned towards him then opened his eyes and a sly grin spread across his face. He grabbed the edge of the sheet and purred, “As for that… would you like me to move the blanket so you can see for yourself?”

“No!” Makoto stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. He locked it and let out a frustrated groan. What the hell was with that guy? Shameless didn’t begin to cover it. He grinded his teeth as he turned on the water and set it to scalding. The day hadn’t even started yet and he was already stressed out because of that blond jerk. Terrific. He complained under his breath and scrubbed unnecessarily hard as he showered.

It was surprisingly gorgeous later that afternoon when Makoto and Laurent arrived at their mark’s home. Evidently, the initial meet and greet was just a formality, this was their actual welcome party. No matter how they tried to look at it, this was surely some way for the woman to show off. Laurent motioned for Makoto to smile and he frowned at him instead. Though he quickly turned that upside down and grinned when the front door opened and they were greeted by a butler.

They other guests were surprisingly welcoming. Makoto had expected them to be snobby or otherwise unsavory characters but mingling with them proved to be much less of a chore than he’d imagined. That was a welcome surprise. What _wasn’t_ a surprise was the fact that Laurent was flirty with literally every single person they met. Makoto didn’t even know how he kept that up but it seemed exhausting. After about an hour of this Makoto found himself a bit irked.

They parted ways with the couple they’d been chatting with and Makoto put a hand on Laurent’s shoulder. When the blond looked at him curiously he asked softly, “You do remember that we’re supposed to be married, right?”

“I’m just being friendly, honey-bear,” Laurent replied much louder than necessary. He tousled Makoto’s dark hair then added, “Don’t worry, I only have eyes for you.”

As good of an actor as he prided himself in being, Makoto just wasn’t ready for Laurent to hit him with stuff like that. He might get used to it. Maybe. For now though, it still caused his cheeks to burn. That must’ve been a satisfying response because Laurent looked rather proud of himself, the jerk. Makoto pouted as he watched the blond scurry off to talk to yet another super hot person. Why was everyone in this community so stinking attractive? Laurent must’ve been living his best life. Not that he was jealous or anything. Whatever. Makoto decided to leave him to it, the guy was in his element after all. He, on the other hand, needed some fresh air.

He stepped out onto the back deck and looked around. There were people chatting out here too. Makoto nodded at those that looked his way but he didn’t stop to talk to anyone. Instead he walked all the way to the edge of the yard and stared at the sparkling lake it overlooked. It was a breathtaking sight. The rest of the world faded into the background and all Makoto could feel was the breeze upon his skin as he admired the view.

Unfortunately, because of the location their home was one of the ones that didn’t have this scenic background in their yard. He sure would’ve loved if the opposite were true. He’d sit out on the deck for hours on end admiring the view. It reminded him of his home country. He never thought he’d long for the smell of salt water or the fish market and yet this made his chest ache for those familiar things. A breeze blew and gently tousled his hair. Maybe he’d return there after this job was done. He didn’t really know.

Makoto took out his phone and snapped a picture of the lovely scene so he could share it with Cynthia and Abigail. They’d appreciate it. He put his phone back into his pocket then tucked his hair behind his right ear and continued to admire the view.

A small part of him thought that it might not be so bad to live in a place like this for real. To be with the one he loved and have a home with such a stunning view. It might be nice to have something like that. He’d really never given it much thought before. Settling down and having a life like this just never seemed like it was in the cards for him. What kind of person could he ever want to spend that much time with, anyway? He’d been on his own for so long now it was hard to think he’d be able to stand constant company. Though perhaps there would come a day when he’d meet someone that would shatter that way of thinking. He wondered what they might be like. A hand landed upon his left hip and Makoto squeaked in surprise.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Laurent said softly on the other side of him.

“You’re the one who left _my_ side,” Makoto reminded him without missing a beat. Neither of them said a word for another minute. It was kind of nice. Though he knew that was over as soon as he felt the hand upon his hip tighten its grip.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Laurent asked no one in particular. He admired the sparkling water with a smile. “A shame how tarnished this community is on the inside. I’ve received three and a half propositions just since I saw you last. Flattering though it might be, these people are shameless.”

“You’ll fit right in then,” Makoto snorted. He wondered what half a proposition might be but decided it was probably better not to ask. Some things were better left unanswered.

“I may be a horndog but I’m a faithful one,” Laurent replied. He never looked away from the lake as he pulled Makoto closer so that he was pressed up against him. He looked at Makoto, smiled, then hummed, “And I married you for a reason.”

“Except you didn’t…” Makoto muttered under his breath. There was nothing real about the affection he saw in those blue eyes that practically glowed in direct sunlight like this. The man was a great pretender, nothing more. Makoto’s gaze fell downward once again. There was no reason to take it personally. It was just another job.

“What was that?” Laurent asked.

“Nothing.” Makoto pulled free from the blond’s grip and shook his head. “I’m not feeling too well so I’m going to head back home. Give my regards to our gracious host.”

“Sure.” Laurent’s eyes followed the other man as he walked away. If there was something he wanted to say he kept it to himself.

Admittedly, Makoto did feel just the slightest bit bad about leaving a celebration that was supposedly about him. Though he was sure Laurent had that part covered. He’d make the event about himself in no time flat. He’d make new friends and all that nonsense. The guy would put a spin on things that would guarantee no one was left suspicious. Makoto spent his time cleaning at home. He didn’t really mind the chore; it was a way to clear his head.

Once he was done with that, he sat on the living room couch and picked up a magazine off the coffee table. As he flipped through it mindlessly he realized that the house sure was quiet without Laurent around. Not that he needed that guy or whatever. Silence was a blessing. He should bask in it while he had the chance.

Makoto set the magazine back down and picked up the remote instead. He turned on the TV then flipped through the channels, searching for anything interesting. Of course nothing was. That figured. His eyelids were heavier than normal and he didn’t fight the call of sleep that hit him quite suddenly.

Makoto gasped and opened his eyes. What was that sound just now? Where was he? After a second he finally recognized his surroundings. He’d fallen asleep on the living room couch. A soft chuckle got his attention and he immediately frowned. He should’ve known the only thing that would disturb his rest was a pain in the ass with blond hair.

Makoto glanced at Laurent out of the corner of his eye then looked away again. His tone was as uninterested as the expression on his face when he muttered, “You’re back, I see.”

“Well it really wasn’t much of a party once I found out that my darling husband wasn’t feeling too hot,” Laurent hummed. He paused for a moment, clearly lost in thought. After that he offered the dark-haired man a plastic bag then said, “I’m not the cook you are so unfortunately this is the best I can do.”

“Huh?” Makoto didn’t know what this guy was going on about yet again. As usual, his curiosity got the better of him so he took the bag and looked inside. He pulled out the single can of chicken soup and blinked at it. A second passed, then another, and finally Makoto began to chuckle.

This brand just so happened to be absolutely terrible; he’d never want to serve it to his worst enemy. Though he supposed Laurent had no way of knowing that since he ate at restaurants more often than not. In the end it was the thought that counted, and the blond had gone out of his way to get him this awful soup so Makoto couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m guessing laughter means you like it?” Laurent asked.

“Something like that, yeah.” Makoto wiped the corners of his eyes and nodded. He really didn’t have it in him to tell the blond that his choice was just awful. It was the thought that counted, after all. He set the can onto the coffee table then smiled warmly and added, “I appreciate it, thanks.”

He watched Laurent blink at him without saying a word. That was strange. Maybe he’d been expecting a different response or something, he didn’t know. Makoto rubbed the back of his neck and asked, “Do you want to, uh, watch a movie together?”

“If you’re up for it, _oui_!” Laurent exclaimed, immediately right back to his usual grinning self. He snapped his fingers then hurried away as he said, “I’ll go make some popcorn. It’s my specialty, you know.”

Makoto shook his head and rolled his eyes. He smiled to himself at the blond’s enthusiasm over such a silly thing. He looked back over at the can of soup and shook his head. The whole thing was comically ridiculous, which was totally on brand for Laurent, and he just couldn’t help but want to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo I have finally returned to writing for this paiiiiir!! ive been wanting to write this since last year but so SOOO many things happened. Including writers block T_T.. finally managed to power through it and im excited to finally share!!
> 
> Chicons au gratin being a traditional Belgian dish was a surprise indeed. Laurent didn’t expect such a considerate action from his new hubby :0
> 
> Laurent and the terrible chicken soup lol… he tried
> 
> I love themmmmm. Happy to have my first multichap fic of the year be for this ship woo 
> 
> Hopefully you’re looking forward to more!!! See you soooon!!


	2. Chapter 2

Makoto glanced up from his laptop to look at Laurent. The blond was lying on his stomach and smiling at his phone again. He could only imagine why. Makoto adjusted his glasses then turned his attention back to the article he’d been reading. They were both lounging around in bed since they were about to go to sleep. They’d been living together for three weeks now. This kind of thing had become the norm before he even realized what happened.

As obnoxious as Laurent was ninety percent of the time, Makoto didn’t mind spending time with him just like this. The guy was surprisingly tolerable when he kept his mouth shut for extended periods of time. It was nice to be able to do individual things but also have company.

They’d discussed how they thought the con was going earlier when Makoto expressed his exasperation over nothing even remotely suspicious happening. That was when Laurent explained that there was a reason they’d estimated such a long timeframe for the job. From the reports they’d gathered, it had taken their mark a month to make her first move in the past, sometimes up to three. This wasn’t the kind of thing they could rush since she had to be the one to approach them or it was pointless.

Laurent suggested that maybe there was a level of comfort they had to achieve with the rest of the townsfolk first. That or perhaps they weren’t lovey-dovey enough to get under her skin. They already held hands while in public, and only made eyes at each other no matter what hot person tried to get their attentions, Makoto didn’t know what else she wanted. Another glance at the blond and he found that Laurent had laid down his phone and had his elbow propped up on the bed, with his chin in his palm. He was watching him with an annoying smile.

“What?” Makoto grunted. He looked back at his laptop and muttered, “Do I have something on my face?”

“Not yet~” Laurent practically sang.

Makoto rolled his eyes and shut his laptop. He set it onto the nearby nightstand and then removed his glasses and did the same with them. It was too late for the blond to start with the shenanigans. He ignored it and held his arms all the way out above his head while he stretched. He shut his eyes and scratched at his side while he wondered if he needed to set an alarm or he could just sleep until whenever. He didn’t have any plans first thing in the morning that he could recall. Good.

“We should make out.”

Makoto nearly jumped out of his skin at the incredibly random, unprompted statement. His voice cracked as he shrieked, “What!”

“Well, kiss at the very least…” Laurent muttered mostly to himself. He seemed lost in thought about something for a moment before he finally refocused on the other man.

“Have you lost your _mind_?” Makoto yelped.

“Of course not, my suggestion makes all the sense in the world.” Laurent sat up and stretched, knowing full well that he was being watched. He winked at Makoto then explained, “Should the need arise for us to kiss in front of the mark, we don’t want it to be some awkward first time. That could blow the entire con in an instant. All our hard work gone to waste just like that.”

“I… really hate it when you make sense…” Makoto sighed. He had absolutely no argument against that. Laurent was right. This was something they should’ve considered weeks ago. Maybe it was a factor in them not seeming lovey-dovey enough currently. Dammit. His brow furrowed and he looked over at Laurent who was, of course, smiling like an idiot. Damn that guy. He turned towards the blond and kissed his cheek quickly then turned away again. “There.”

“What am I, your grandma?” Laurent snorted. He shook his head and sighed, “That just won’t do at all, Edamame. Everyone else on the team knows how to make a kiss scene convincing. It’s only right that you do too.”

“I don’t… uh… well…” Makoto’s voice trailed off. He didn’t even know what it was he wanted to say. This was too embarrassing and frankly it was next level ridiculous, even for Laurent. At the same time it was just a stupid kiss and there was no reason to be hesitant. It wasn’t like it meant anything. They’d known each other for years and it was a bit of a shock that it hadn’t come up before. He’d given the idea some thought in the past. In regard to a job, of course. Not randomly or anything. Yeah.

Laurent eyed him for a moment before he shut his eyes and shrugged. He shook his head then sighed, “Is the problem that you’ve never done so before? In that case, let me take the lead and just do what feels natural. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no ti–”

Makoto surged forward and pressed their lips together. Man, this guy was so annoying. If this was how he had to shut him up then so be it. Or that had been the intention at first. To his surprise, the lips against his felt… good. Really good. A shiver ran down his spine and his own eyes fell shut. He wanted more. Makoto tilted his head and leaned forward just a bit, deepening the kiss. He wasn’t met with any protest.

This was the absolute last thing he would’ve expected them to be doing in this house. Even for the con, it just didn’t make sense. The two of them were so incompatible. And yet, there in their faux-marital bed, Makoto found himself wanting this. He needed it. A pang of arousal hit him so suddenly that he was a bit dizzy for a moment. For some reason that helped him return to his senses and he finally broke the kiss.

He panted softly, still way closer to the blond than he needed to be. Makoto’s gaze shifted to meet Laurent’s and he found the usual humor in his eyes gone. They were half-lidded and darkened with something Makoto had never seen in them before. He didn’t get the chance to ask about it.

Laurent put his hand upon Makoto’s cheek and searched his dark eyes. He didn’t say a word and simply leaned in to reclaim his lips once more. Makoto breathed in sharply through his nose and fisted his hands in the blond’s shirt with the intention to shove him away. Probably. Any moment now. Yeah. His grip on the fabric loosened so that his palms were flat against Laurent’s chest instead.

Makoto couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was happening right now. All he knew was that he didn’t want it to stop yet. His whole body was hot and he had no idea if that was from embarrassment or something else entirely, nor did he care. His body was on autopilot as he slid his tongue along Laurent’s lips in the most teasing way he possibly could. When the blond parted them afterward Makoto swore something within him awakened. He actually had to stop himself from whimpering when Laurent pulled away.

Laurent took a deep breath then exhaled a shaky sigh. His expression almost seemed pained as he said, “We should probably stop here. Unless you want me to have my way with you, that is.”

Makoto’s eyes widened and his whole face immediately started to burn. He turned away from the blond then muttered, “I–I… uhh…”

“I figured as much.” Laurent nodded. He pat Makoto on the shoulder then added, “It seems like practice isn’t necessary after all, _mon chéri_. You really know how to get a guy all worked up.” His smirk widened when Makoto stiffened then hid his face in his hands. He tousled those messy, dark locks then said, “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some urgent business to attend to. Don’t wait up.”

Makoto was speechless as he watched the blond through the cracks in his fingers. Laurent slid off the bed and didn’t look back as he headed for the bathroom. Makoto heard it lock then the shower start. He’d have to be an idiot not to understand what was happening, or just how embarrassing it was. The fact that Laurent was so worked up after a mere kiss that he had to go take care of himself was just too much for Makoto to process.

He flopped over onto the bed and squeezed his eyes shut. What the hell was that? Why had he been so into it? And most of all, why the _fuck_ did he actually consider the blond’s proposition for a split second? Being stuck together was really messing with their heads, yeah. Neither of them had gotten laid since the con began and that was throwing them both for a loop. The fact that the thought wasn’t even convincing in his own head made Makoto groan and curl into himself. What the ever-loving fuck? He couldn’t deal with this shit.

There was no telling how long he’d been screaming internally before he finally heard the shower turn off. Makoto gasped then pulled the covers all the way up to hide his face. When he heard the bathroom door unlock he slapped a hand over his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut. He was asleep. His heart was not threatening to beat right out of his chest. Makoto braced himself for the inevitable cuddle that came with Laurent joining him in bed. He had no idea how he was supposed to get through a night like that after what just happened.

To his surprise, Laurent didn’t climb into bed. He walked over to his side, shut the light, then pat his hair and wished him a soft goodnight. After that he left the room without waiting for a response. That was… weird. But it was also good. Makoto would take it. He’d be able to get a decent night’s sleep for once. Finally.

Makoto awoke with a groan. How was it morning already? And why the heck did those birds outside sound so damn chipper? He rolled onto his back and turned his head to look at the other side of the bed. Empty, just like when he’d finally managed to fall asleep. He frowned to himself. As much as he wished the opposite, his night hadn’t been decent at all. His brain refused to shut off. A thousand and one thoughts tortured him on a loop. Most of them revolving around one blond bastard.

He looked at Laurent’s unused pillow and had to wonder if he just didn’t sleep or some shit. That wasn’t healthy. It would also put him in a mood today and Makoto would have to deal with that. Ugh. Great. He laid there for what felt like another hour before he finally managed to roll out of bed.

As Makoto meandered past the living room on his way to the kitchen, he noticed that the couch looked disheveled. He blinked at the sight. A guy like Laurent wouldn’t actually sleep on a couch. He’d sooner go rent a hotel room and stay there. There was obviously another explanation. He’d find out as soon as he found the blond. Makoto looked around as he continued on. There really was no sign of the other man. He frowned and his brain immediately kicked into high gear again.

Maybe Laurent realized what a mistake those kisses had been and he decided the con wasn’t worth the trouble. Maybe he’d left him to clean up the mess. Maybe he’d already skipped town and they’d never see one another again. Maybe– His eyes widened when he heard what sounded like the front door creak as it opened then shut again. Makoto’s gut twisted when a familiar head of blond hair appeared in the doorway.

“Ah, good, you’re awake Edamame,” Laurent hummed as he stepped into the kitchen. He set two drinks onto the counter then added, “Coffee has arrived.” Laurent’s teasing smile spread across his face then he winked. “Don’t worry, it’s not instant. Not that I’d admit if it was, since I don’t want to be lectured by you on the quality of beans or whatever.”

Was this weird? Should they talk about what happened? Laurent seemed like his usual self. He was smiling and teasing him like normal. Maybe Makoto was overthinking things after all. It’d be best to take his cue from the blond. He narrowed his eyes at Laurent then picked up the closest coffee cup and grumbled, “I don’t lecture about stuff like that.”

“You’re not self-aware in the slightest,” Laurent chuckled. He motioned for him to go ahead and try the drink. “It’s part of your charm.”

Makoto made a face but didn’t have the strength to argue. He needed the caffeine in the cup he held, no matter what it tasted like. He removed the travel lid then blew on the warm liquid. After that he finally brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. It was warm and felt so good going down to his belly. The flavor eased his frazzled nerves. This truly was the perfect way to wake up.

He had to admit that the quality of this coffee was pretty high. He could absolutely tell that it was from a shop that grinded its own beans. Great care had gone into brewing this. Makoto glanced at Laurent then stiffened when he noticed the blond had a smirk upon his face that said he knew exactly what he was thinking. Makoto’s brow furrowed and he didn’t say a word. He simply looked elsewhere and continued to drink the coffee. That blond jerk…

Everything was surprisingly normal over the next few days. Almost to the point where Makoto would call them boring. Neither he nor Laurent brought up the kisses they’d shared. Some things were better left in the past as one moved on. It wasn’t like he was particularly hung up on them or anything. The feeling of the blond’s lips moving against his own barely even crossed his mind.

Today was no different. He’d fled Laurent’s morning wood the moment he noticed it and hopped into the shower. Nothing woke him up quite as fast as feeling _that_ pressed up against his butt. Now as he stood in the shower and let the warm water splash onto his face, he was plagued by thoughts of those darn kisses again. His own member was stiff as well. It practically begged to be touched.

Makoto chalked that up to the fact that he was a bit frustrated in the sexual department. It had been longer than he cared to admit since the last time he’d embraced another person. As such, his body seemed to be seeking that kind of thing out wherever it could. He was stronger than this and he wouldn’t give in so easily. Especially not if the person on his mind right now was–

Makoto yelped in surprise and spun around when the shower door opened. Had he forgotten to lock the bathroom during his rush to flee the bed earlier? The stupid grin on Laurent’s face said that’s exactly what happened. Dammit. He fought the urge to attempt to cover himself then yelled, “What are you doing!”

“Showering with my adorable husband,” Laurent replied matter-of-factly as he stepped into the shower and pulled the door shut.

Makoto’s face was burning and it had nothing to do with the hot water that he’d held it under. “Do you still have a…” His voice trailed off. Maybe if he didn’t complete the thought it wouldn’t be spoken into existence.

“Why not take a look and find out for yourself?” Laurent purred, that cheeky grin of his as wide as his face.

Makoto grunted in refusal and shook his head. He stared so hard at Laurent’s face that he was sure to burn a hole through him at any moment. He wouldn’t look. He wasn’t even slightly tempted to. Nope.

“Fine, be that way,” Laurent sighed. He held up both hands in a shrug then said, “Just know that your shyness makes you even more appealing.”

Makoto’s eyes widened. He looked over to the side and grumbled, “Shut up. This has nothing to do with being shy.”

“If you say so, darling,” Laurent hummed. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo off the rack on the wall then turned back towards Makoto and said, “Since I’m here, at least let me help out.”

Laurent didn’t wait for a response. He squirted shampoo into his palm and then started to wash Makoto’s hair for him. All the while he hummed cheerily to himself, happy as could be. Makoto took the chance to watch this ridiculous man. Their nakedness aside, this was a lot closer than they’d usually be. His gaze followed a drop of water that slid down Laurent’s cheek then dripped off of his jaw.

This man was so obnoxious that Makoto only ever saw just how annoying he was. He never really took the time to simply look at him. The guy wasn’t terrible to look at, he supposed. In fact, he’d go as far as to say he was appealing in his own way. From those impossibly blue eyes to the color of his hair, even those lips of his curved upwards in a teasing smile…

Makoto made a choked sound when the memory of their kiss popped into his head without permission. He quickly spun around so Laurent wouldn’t see just how red his face was all of a sudden. The blond didn’t seem bothered by this one bit. He continued to hum as he removed the shower head and rinsed the shampoo from Makoto’s dark locks. All the while Makoto frowned to himself as he wondered just what the heck was wrong with him.

Makoto glared at the veggies he was chopping. Showers were supposed to be relaxing but that one earlier was so stressful that it was _still_ on his mind even now. Though that was hours ago and he was busy in the kitchen while Laurent did god knows what in the living room. Makoto didn’t know or care. He didn’t want to think about it. And yet his brain simply wouldn’t cooperate.

After Laurent washed his hair earlier, he insisted on helping wash his back as well. Naturally that lead to the blond finding a ticklish spot of his and everything went downhill from there. Makoto knew it from the start. There was no way to control the way he wriggled or how hard he laughed and it was all he could do to try and get away.

He’d even slipped as he tried to escape and Laurent caught him before there was a major catastrophe, which may or may not have been impressive. Though that lead to his wet, naked body being pressed up against the blond’s and somehow that felt like a disaster in itself. Makoto let out a sigh and shook his head. How Laurent continued to look so darn amused through one of the most embarrassing moments of his life he’d never know.

Makoto was knocked out of his own thoughts when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind. He let out a surprised squeak when Laurent kissed his right cheek. Just what did this guy think he was doing all of a sudden? He had half a mind to put him in his place then and there.

Laurent nuzzled the spot he just kissed then whispered, “Don’t look now, but the same person has walked their dog by our window three times in the last ten minutes.”

Makoto’s eyes widened. He glanced out of the small window above the kitchen sink just in time to see the back of someone’s head wander past. He’d been so caught up in his own bullshit that he hadn’t even noticed. He set down the knife and mumbled, “A neighborhood spy?”

“One who isn’t very good at their job, I’d say,” Laurent nodded. “They’ll probably report back to our target soon.”

Makoto hated it when Laurent was right. He growled softly then turned and kissed the blond’s jaw over his shoulder. There, that should be lovey-dovey enough. It was convincing. Probably. He certainly wasn’t prepared for Laurent to put his hand upon his cheek so he couldn’t turn away and stare into his eyes.

There was unmistakable amusement in them, as usual. He really was getting a kick out of this whole thing. While Makoto would’ve liked nothing more than to punch that look off the blond’s face, he knew that to anyone else that may or may not be watching them this moment seemed quite intimate. So he let it happen.

“Look at you, dedicated enough to the job for semi-public displays of affection.” Laurent hummed right next to his ear. The smile upon his face could be heard as he added, “Abigail owes me twenty bucks.”

It didn’t surprise him at all that they were making bets on something like that. Makoto’s eye twitched and he did his best to keep his expression neutral as he snorted, “You’re a nuisance.”

Laurent brushed a stray strand of dark hair out of his face then hummed, “Keep your sweet talk for when we’re in the bedroom, _mon chéri_.”

“I could kick your ass right now,” Makoto grumbled. He narrowed his eyes then added, “I know karate.”

“Mm… no you don’t.” Laurent purred against the back of his neck. His voice was a gravelly hum as he said, “Here comes a real test of your dedication to this con.”

Makoto’s eyes widened when Laurent kissed him in earnest. It was the first time they’d done something like this since that night they hadn’t spoken about. A shiver ran down Makoto’s spine and damn if it didn’t feel as good as he remembered. He’d begun to think he’d exaggerated the whole thing in his mind. As it turned out, that wasn’t true at all.

His heart fluttered in his chest. Something about this didn’t feel like acting for the sake of the con. It just felt like Laurent being himself. Though that made even less sense than them having to make out for a job. All Makoto knew was that if they were being watched they might as well make sure it looked good. He reached up and put his hand on the back of Laurent’s neck to really sell the scene. The tips of his fingers just barely brushed against the short hairs at the root. Soft after being freshly washed. Unsurprising.

The arms around him squeezed and Laurent hummed against his lips. Apparently Makoto had done something right. A small part of him was proud that he got the blond to make a sound like that. It would be interesting to see what others he could also make. Actually, it was a bit of a rush if he was being totally honest. Makoto broke the kiss and let out a soft sigh, very aware of the way his pulse was racing now.

His gaze met the blond’s and he whispered, “Laurent, I–”

The sound of the doorbell ringing throughout the house made them both jump. They looked over in the direction of the front door curiously. Laurent was the first to break the silence when he asked, “Expecting someone?”

“Uh uh.” Makoto shook his head.

“What terrible timing our uninvited guest has,” Laurent sighed. He let go of Makoto’s waist, then took his left hand and brought it to his lips. Laurent’s eyes were fixed upon the pink hue in Makoto’s cheeks as he kissed his wedding band gently. Afterwards he walked away as he mumbled something about sending their guest away.

Makoto waited for the blond to leave the room before he let out the breath he’d been holding. He was actually kind of grateful that the guest had interrupted them. He wasn’t even sure what it was he’d been about to say, but he knew it would’ve been a mistake. His heart was pounding in his chest, his cheeks felt like they were on fire, and truthfully he was a bit turned on. From something like that? He couldn’t even fathom any of it.

Makoto slapped his own cheeks in an attempt to snap himself out of his daze. Ridiculous. He would just focus his attention on chopping vegetables for their meal, not the fact that he missed the feeling of the other man’s lips against his own, or the way he’d been so cozy in his arms. Maybe he should put on a sweater. Nah. It’d pass. Lunch. That was the focus. He could handle that. Yeah.

*

Makoto didn’t know what it was lately but things with Laurent felt… different. There were times when everything was normal, and he didn’t notice. Usually those involved him yelling at the blond for some reason or another and him laughing it off. Business as usual and whatnot. Then there were the increasing number of moments where the air around them felt like it thickened.

They could be doing a normal thing like chatting about an episode of a television show they were a little too invested in then Laurent would smile at him and suddenly he found it harder to breathe. His pulse raced, the hairs on his arms stood on end, and he became hyper aware of the guy. It was always worse when it involved Laurent touching him in some way. Makoto could swear up and down that he wasn’t that desperate to know the touch of another person again but man his body betrayed him at every turn.

The blond was never quiet about his opinion and that was one of his many, many flaws in Makoto’s opinion. As such, Laurent had been joking about them having sex practically since the moment they moved in. Well, it actually went further back than that. He’d been hit on by Laurent way too many times to count since they’d known each other. Though it was always a lot easier to brush him off when they didn’t live together and he didn’t have to see his stupid face every stupid day.

“We have a barbeque to attend this weekend,” Laurent said as he stared at his phone. He lifted his head, scrunched his face, then asked, “Or is it a baby shower? Either way we should bring a gift. Just in case.”

“Another chance for the community gossips to pry into our lives while we smile and act aloof,” Makoto sighed, glad to be knocked out of his own thoughts for once. He laid his head back against the couch and shut his eyes. “Sounds fun.”

“Don’t you think we should do it before then?” Laurent asked.

“Do what?” Makoto asked without thinking. He wondered if wine would be a weird baby shower gift. A pregnant mother-to-be couldn’t drink it, after all. What else was generic but also showed they made an effort? Cake? Everyone liked cake. What flavor would be best?

“Sex.” Laurent replied.

Makoto yelped in surprise and nearly jumped out of his skin. His whole body flailed so wildly that he rolled off the couch and landed on the ground with a thud. The sound of Laurent’s laughter echoed in his head. Of course he was just teasing him. Nothing new there. Makoto grumbled some swears in his native tongue as he pulled himself back onto the couch. This stupid guy.

Laurent wiped the corner of his eye then hummed, “On the serious side, I do wonder what you’ll say if one of said gossips asks you how I am in the sack.”

Makoto’s cheeks darkened and he squeezed his eyes shut then crossed his arms. Not that something like that was anyone else’s business but theirs, but sure. It was simple enough to see where the guy was coming from. They wouldn’t want to come across as suspicious if he didn’t reply. It’d be best to avoid that if possible. That meant he should be able to offer up some sort of convincing response to the question, no matter how much it violated their privacy. It was terrible either way. He grinded his teeth then finally muttered, “I’ll say good, I guess.”

“That’s a tad bit insulting,” Laurent replied with a pout. “It’s like you want us to get caught in the lie.”

“Meaning what!” Makoto exclaimed. He frowned at the blond as he awaited a response. This guy and his stinking ego.

“Meaning that merely calling me _good_ in bed is a mistake. You need a much more extravagant word to describe the way I make love.” Laurent explained. A grin spread across his face and his gaze never left Makoto as he purred, “I could show you if you’d like.”

Makoto jumped to his feet and made an x with his arms. He shook his head as he shouted, “Pass!”

Laurent watched him scurry around the room for a second before he finally grabbed his keys and stuffed them into his pocket. He blinked curiously as the dark-haired man stomped towards the front door. Laurent ran his fingers through his hair nonchalantly then called, “Where are you going, darling?”

“Shopping!” It was all Makoto said before he stepped into his shoes, yanked the door open, then stormed outside.

It wasn’t even Laurent’s suggestion that had him up in arms. The fact that he’d actually considered the offer for a fraction of a second was what made him flee. Stupid. Just because they’d kissed a few times and he’d felt– well, he didn’t know what he’d felt but it was _something_ – didn’t mean they’d end up having sex on the blond’s whim.

Makoto let out a sigh. He didn’t know what he was freaking out about, Laurent clearly said that just to get a rise out of him. Always the jokester. He thrived off of the chaos he caused. It was rare that what he said could be taken seriously, anyway. Well, whatever. It was in the past now. Makoto chose to move forward.

He supposed that he did need a thing or two from the store. Not to mention the walk there would allow him some time to clear his head. Maybe he should’ve taken the car. No, he was too distracted for that. And he didn’t know if Laurent might need it either. He’d only get a few items so walking back wouldn’t be troublesome.

By the time he reached the supermarket everything about earlier felt like some weird dream. Laurent wouldn’t say anything about it, he never did, so there was no need for him to dwell on it either. As soon as Makoto stepped into the store he saw a brand new capsule toy machine. The amount of glee he felt at such a sight was indescribable. It was like he was a kid again. He hadn’t seen one in so long. The nostalgia was nearly enough to kill him on the spot. He dug some coins out of his pocket and hurried over to the machine.

Makoto didn’t even bother to look at which one he chose. He was just too excited. Time to find out if it was his lucky day. He twisted the handle with his right hand and awaited the little capsule with his left. Once it plopped out, he wasted no time in opening it. He held up the little figure and squinted as he studied it.

The sound he made when he realized that he was holding a tiny bride could only be described as inhuman. Makoto’s whole face burned with his embarrassment and he quickly stuffed it into his pocket. He hurried into the supermarket and shook his head. There was no way _that_ was a good luck charm, nuh uh. A quick flash of Laurent winking at him popped into his head and made his heart skip a beat. Makoto ignored it completely. Nope. This wasn’t happening. He wouldn’t allow it. All too suddenly he was struck with the urge to add beer to his shopping list.

Makoto found no one around when he got back home from his impromptu shopping trip. The car wasn’t in the driveway so Laurent had gone out somewhere. Admittedly, that was a bit of a relief. Instead of clearing his head he ended up dwelling on things he had no business being so stuck on and driving himself crazy during his trip. He’d use whatever time he had by himself before the blond returned to unwind. There was no other choice.

As it turned out, the beer didn’t help clear his head at all. It only made him dwell even harder on what it was he wanted to avoid. Although, not in the way one might expect. Normal Makoto was very stubborn and wouldn’t see the truth, while lightheaded Makoto was lonely and just wanted his faux-husband to come back home. There was something very important he needed to tell that jerk.

He’d just finished off the fourth beer and his head felt light as a feather. There wasn’t a worry left in his brain for once. It sure was nice. He reached for the coffee table to grab another drink when he heard the front door open. Makoto immediately perked up at the sound.

He listened to the approaching footsteps and as soon as they entered the room he leaped off the couch. Makoto jumped into his faux-husband’s arms and exclaimed, “Laurent! I missed you!”

“You wha–?” Laurent laughed as he returned the embrace. He pet the shorter man’s dark hair and asked, “I smell beer. Is everything all right?”

Makoto pulled free of the embrace then fisted his hands in Laurent’s shirt and yanked him closer at the same time as he leaned up onto the balls of his feet. He pressed their lips together without another word and relished in the surprised grunt he received. When he broke the kiss, he didn’t give the blond a chance to respond before he grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.

“Where are we goi–” Laurent didn’t need to finish the question. They’d reached their destination– their room– and Makoto tugged him over to the bed.

Makoto kept his grip on the blond firm as he fell backwards onto it. Laurent fell forwards, catching himself before he completely squished him. Not that Makoto would’ve cared if he did. His head was light and there was only one thing on his mind right now. He pulled the guy into another kiss and couldn’t do anything to stifle the soft moan that escaped him when Laurent’s lips slid against his and he kissed him back.

The sound brought Laurent back to his senses. He broke the kiss and bopped Makoto on the nose then chuckled, “Whoa there, just how much have you had to drink, little soybean?”

“Not too much, don’t worry,” Makoto muttered as he leaned in to kiss him again.

Laurent put his hand in the dark-haired man’s path to thwart the attempt. He had the usual amused grin upon his face as he replied, “I might believe that if you weren’t unbuttoning my shirt right now.”

He pulled Makoto’s hands free of the fabric then sat up and rubbed the back of his head. “You should really get some rest. The last thing I need is for you to scold me tomorrow because I let you do something like this while drunk.”

“I’m not drunk! I’m perfectly coherent! Ask me anything!” Makoto shrieked. He propped himself up on his elbows and explained, “I’m just less inhibited and that means I can go for what I want.” He pouted and shook his head as he grumbled, “Frankly, what’s the point in not acting on these confusing and slightly infuriating feelings?”

Laurent’s brow knitted together as he attempted to process those words. His grin melted into a crooked half-smile and he asked, “Exactly what feelings are we talking about?”

Makoto put his finger over the blond’s lips and shushed him. He glared into those stupidly shiny blue eyes for a long moment then finally let his hand fall away and shrugged. He was just thinking out loud as he asked, “Or were all your advances just talk? Do you not actually want me the way you claim to? That’s fine, I guess. I don’t really blame y–”

He was cut off when Laurent captured his lips in a heated kiss. This wasn’t anything like the kisses they’d shared in the past. It was raw, passionate, and full of emotions Makoto couldn’t even begin to fathom right now. He lifted his chin and tilted his head slightly to show he wanted more. Even if it was just pretend, he wanted to let himself get lost in the illusion just this once. He whimpered softly when the blond broke the kiss.

Laurent put his hand upon Makoto’s cheek and rubbed his thumb across that adorable, pink blush. He maintained eye-contact as he said, “Don’t you ever think that. My head is full of you every waking moment.” He ran his thumb across Makoto’s lips slowly. His voice was a mere whisper as he admitted, “I want you so badly I can’t stand it.”

Something within Makoto’s chest swelled. He was overcome with emotions that made no sense whatsoever. They were warm and welcoming, much like this man’s embrace. The fact that such a euphoric feeling could be caused by a few stupid words was absolutely crazy. And yet they didn’t feel wrong. There wasn’t a shred of doubt within his body anymore. He didn’t so much as blink as he leaned in for another kiss and purred, “Then take me.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before Laurent surged forward and kissed him again. Makoto’s head was spinning but for some reason he felt like that had nothing to do with the alcohol he’d consumed. It was all about the lips moving against his and the hands wandering his body. Even over his clothes he swore they left heat in their wake. It wasn’t fair in the slightest that this man was so good at absolutely everything. A hand caressed his thigh and Makoto shuddered.

Laurent broke the kiss then rubbed their noses together. He studied the look in Makoto’s eyes carefully as he asked, “Are you sure you won’t regret this in the morning?”

Makoto narrowed his eyes and grumbled, “I absolutely _will_ if it’s not all you claim it to be.”

“Oh, it’s a matter of pride then?” Laurent asked, that amused smirk of his creeping across his face once again.

“Yeah.” Makoto nodded. “Open challenge. Blow my mind.”

“Challenge gladly accepted,” Laurent purred as he leaned in to slot their lips together once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Makoto angrily chopping veggies gives me life idk why… hes so cute lol
> 
> I wonder if Laurent was telling the truth about the spy or did he just see an opportunity and take it hmm… we might never know with that sneaky bastard!
> 
> Bahahaha he got a little bride X’D
> 
> Oof theres all sorts of confusing feelings in the air right now what ever will they dooo o.o
> 
> Rating will go up next chap oh boy… it shall be tagged


	3. Chapter 3

Makoto was sure he’d never been undressed so quickly in his life. He and Laurent continued to kiss as they tugged at his clothing. They both seemed to agree that the fabric was nothing but a nuisance. The sense of eagerness in the air swirled with a mix of cautious excitement as well as uncontrollable arousal. His skin was so hot already that it felt good to have it exposed to the air, as well as the other man’s touch.

He bit down on his bottom lip as the blond pulled away from the kiss to nip at his collarbone. It was hard to believe this hadn’t happened yet as they evidently wanted each other _this_ badly. Makoto whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut when Laurent licked his right nipple. His warm, wet tongue danced in a teasing circle around it. Damn, he was already making noises like that and they’d barely gotten started.

“Oh? Sensitive, are we?” Laurent purred. He didn’t wait for a response and instead licked the other nipple while he pinched that one.

Makoto gasped then clenched his teeth to keep from making any more unnecessary noise. The blond chuckled softly before he continued on. His whole face burned as Laurent kissed his way down his torso slowly. He could feel the blond’s gaze upon him, and it was just as embarrassing as it was arousing. He had to fight the urge to wriggle beneath the maddening touch. That being said, not a single part of him wanted this to stop. He needed, no, he _deserved_ this for all he put up with.

Laurent kissed the unexpected yet intriguing dice tattoo upon Makoto’s hip. He’d definitely ask for the story behind that another time. For now, there was only one thing on his mind. He ran his thumb across the tattoo slowly then lifted his head and hummed, “Seeing you like this feels like a dream. I want to take a picture so I can look back at this moment forever.”

“No way!” Makoto shrieked.

“Just kidding. Mostly.” Laurent chuckled. Afterwards he kissed Makoto’s inner thigh without breaking eye contact, a teasing promise. He nuzzled then bit that spot gently, earning a soft grunt before the dark-haired man squeezed his eyes shut.

The sound of a cap popping open then a squirt was all the warning Makoto had before he felt something cool against his entrance. He squeaked in surprise, though he couldn’t exactly say why. Obviously this was where they’d been headed. He frowned at the blond when he heard him laugh softly. Makoto watched him set aside the bottle of lubricant without a word.

“Ready?” Laurent asked. He blinked twice then added, “Last chance to back out.”

This guy really was something else. Makoto didn’t know how many ways he could possibly say yes he wanted this. As such, he didn’t respond. Not verbally, anyway. He spread his legs invitingly and waited, ignoring the way his cheeks burned.

Laurent’s eyes widened at the bold action. That quickly melted into his usual approving smirk and he purred, “You never cease to amaze me, darling.”

Makoto gasped and squeezed his eyes shut as a slicked finger slipped into him. That was all well and good but he wanted more. He rocked his hips slowly, inviting more stimulation. Laurent wasn’t one to disappoint. He slipped a second finger in to join the first and Makoto let out a soft cry.

He gripped at the sheets desperately when those fingers worked together to stimulate that perfect spot within him. Of course Laurent had no trouble pinpointing that. The man really was amazing at everything. It was infuriating. Makoto’s whole body was so hot that he swore he’d combust at any moment and he couldn’t get enough. He continued to lift his hips invitingly, soft moans escaping his lips no matter how hard he tried to keep them at bay.

“Your blush has crept all the way down to your shoulders,” Laurent purred, his voice gravelly with his desire. His fingers never stopped moving as he hummed, “How pretty.”

Makoto turned his head to the side and draped his left arm over his eyes. His breaths were labored and he had to breathe in deeper than normal in order to reply, “Don’t… don’t look at me _ahh_ …”

Laurent curled his fingers and applied pressure to that perfect spot, which made Makoto cry out in surprise. He didn’t let up as he asked, “Do I have permission to look at you now?”

Makoto’s whole body quivered. It was too much. He nodded, unable to make his words work. His whole body relaxed when Laurent finally let up and he let out a shaky sigh. He panted softly, gulped, then glanced at the blond and muttered, “More. Don’t make me wait.”

“It’s necessary for your comfort, I’m afraid,” Laurent replied. He offered Makoto a cheeky grin and winked then added, “Don’t worry, I won’t drag it out any longer than I have to.”

Makoto didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant. Laurent already moved onto distracting him from that with those magic fingers of his. A shiver ran down his spine and he choked on a moan. Fuck. He really might not survive this.

It wasn’t long before Makoto started to feel a building pressure in his core. Laurent wanted his body to feel good so he made it happen. Makoto was a panting, writhing mess and the blond only seemed to want to make that worse. He barely had a chance to cry out before stars exploded in his eyes and his whole body shuddered with the force of his orgasm.

Laurent slipped his fingers out of him and hummed softly in approval. He licked Makoto’s stomach clean of the sticky mess, taking note of the way his muscles twitched with each flick of his tongue. Afterwards, his gaze lingered upon that dazed look in those brown eyes.

Makoto’s mind was completely thought-free as Laurent crawled his way up to his face. He leaned into the kiss the moment their lips touched. Laurent’s tongue slipped into his mouth and Makoto could taste his own seed upon it. Fuck. That should not be as hot as it was. This guy was such a nuisance and he couldn’t get enough. He groaned loudly when Laurent caressed his torso slowly.

“That was a big one. Very sexy.” Laurent hummed with a devious smile. He kissed Makoto’s cheek then whispered into his ear, “ _Mon ange_ , are you spent for the evening?”

“No way! I’m insulted you’d even think that!” Makoto exclaimed. Had he the strength to do so, he would’ve waved both fists in the air with his outrage. For now he’d just have to settle with some good old glaring.

“Now, now, it’s all right _mon chéri._ It’s always better to be sure about these things.” Laurent assured him. He traced little circles upon Makoto’s pec with his finger as he explained, “It wouldn’t be the first time I've had a lover fall asleep after the first orgasm. Such a shame that some people can’t handle more than one a night.”

Makoto pouted then averted his gaze. He didn’t see how the guy’s past sexcapades had anything to do with this. He didn’t want to hear about that stuff. It shouldn’t be that difficult to focus on _him_ right now.

“What’s that look about?” Laurent asked.

“Why am I still the only naked one?” Makoto grumbled. His brow furrowed and he added, “Hurry up and take your clothes off.”

Laurent blinked at him then a smile spread across his face. He kissed the corner of Makoto’s mouth and purred, “You’re very sexy when you’re demanding.”

Makoto watched Laurent sit up and pull off his shirt then toss it aside. The sight was nothing new, he’d been to the beach with the guy dozens of times before. They’d been shirtless around one another even more than that. And yet, Makoto never before took the chance to really admire the other man. Sure, he’d looked at him in the past but it was never in a situation quite like this.

Laurent’s shoulders were wider than his and he was quite lean. He clearly treated his body like the temple he seemed to think it was. It was such a pain to admit that the guy was right when he bragged about being a feast for the eyes. Makoto’s gaze fell to the just prominent enough to be noticeable shallow grooves that disappeared into his pants. It was as if they were enticing him to follow. Laurent’s fingers casually danced around the belt buckle, keeping his attention right where it was. What a tease.

It was when Laurent finally stopped messing around and wriggled out of his pants that Makoto’s eyes widened. Once the blond freed his hard cock from its cloth prison and it had a chance to stand tall he understood why Laurent wasn’t willing to skimp on the prep.

“Makes your mouth water, I know,” Laurent snickered. He grabbed Makoto’s thick, dripping cock and gave it a squeeze. Laurent grinned at the hiss he received. “Not that you’re a slouch in the mouthwatering department.”

Makoto did his best to hold back the whimpers that tried to escape him when the blond nuzzled his dick. Was he trying to drive him up the wall? It was definitely working. He took slow breaths and watched those blue eyes that stared at him intensely.

Laurent turned towards the cock he held and kissed the tip gently. He glanced back at Makoto then said, “Seeing this hard and at the ready gives me a plethora of ideas about how I’d like to use it for myself.” He released the cock and watched it twitch as if it was asking for more. There was a sly grin upon his face as he purred, “But that’s not for tonight.”

Makoto gulped as he watched Laurent pick up that bottle of lubricant from earlier. He understood what the guy was saying. Makoto was the one who pushed for this and tonight was about giving him what he wanted. Tempting as it was to find out what Laurent would do to him if left to his own devices, Makoto was pretty set on one important thing. He wanted to be fucked tonight. Luckily for him it seemed like Laurent was totally fine with it either way. Stupid agreeable bastard.

Laurent applied a generous layer of lubricant to his twitching cock then lined it up with Makoto’s hole. He pushed the tip inside at an agonizingly slow pace. Makoto could feel each inch spread him to accommodate the girth. He clung to Laurent and whimpered softly, a sound that escaped him without permission.

Once Laurent’s cock was completely sheathed inside of him he paused and nuzzled Makoto’s temple. He studied the dark-haired man’s expression carefully as he asked, “All right?”

It wasn’t Makoto’s first time, far from it, but he could honestly say he’d never been so full before. Even the biggest toy he dared try on himself couldn’t compare. Once again, he was left to wonder how this man was even real. Annoying. Also sexy as hell.

Makoto squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. “Y-yeah… move…”

Laurent didn’t need to be told twice. He slid his cock almost completely out and then slammed it all the way back inside once again. He bent down to swallow Makoto’s wordless cry with a kiss then continued to move his hips.

“Ah. Fuck.” Makoto’s voice was muffled against Laurent’s lips and he didn’t give a shit. He shuddered as the blond’s cock rubbed parts of him that he didn’t even realize could be stimulated. More. He wanted so much more. It wasn’t long before Makoto was lifting his hips in time with each thrust, desperately trying to prolong the feeling.

Laurent had stopped kissing him in favor of focusing on keeping his pace steady and that only seemed to make things more intense. Makoto shivered and drool leaked from the corner of his mouth as he whined in time with each maddening snap of his hips. He was being overwhelmed by the blond.

The incredible feeling of the cock gliding in an out of him, the taste of Laurent’s tongue still upon his lips, the exotic sound of his soft grunts, the smell of his hot skin, and the sight of the lustful blue eyes fixed upon him. Makoto’s senses were all flooded with Laurent. Nothing else mattered. Not the job. Not the payout. There was only this man and the feeling building within Makoto’s core.

“ _Mon amour_ , your expressions are so sexy…” Laurent purred. He slowed down the pace of his thrusts so he could savor each one a bit longer. He slipped his right hand into Makoto’s and threaded their fingers together as he held it above his head. Laurent shuddered then nuzzled Makoto’s cheek and whispered, “Mm… every time I pull out your body clings to me as if it doesn’t want me to leave.”

It was embarrassing. So was the intense eye contact that Laurent was determined to keep going right now. Makoto squeezed the hand in his and gasped after a particularly delicious thrust.

“Darling, my darling…” Laurent purred into his ear. His breath was hot against Makoto’s cheek as he whispered something on repeat.

Makoto didn’t have to speak French to understand the sheer possessiveness of what he heard. There was no doubt about it, Laurent was muttering something about how he was _his_ in time with each new thrust. Makoto honestly didn’t want it any other way. He was so close now and this was only turning him on even more. He wanted the blond to claim him, leave his mark. It was all he could possibly need.

“Yes!” Whether he was agreeing or crying out in general, Makoto had no idea. He was too lost in the moment to care. Almost there. No time to warn. He wrapped his legs around Laurent’s waist with a broken moan. His toes curled, his back arched off the bed, and his whole body shuddered as his second orgasm crashed through him.

The way his body clenched around Laurent’s cock with the aftershocks was enough to cause the blond to lose his rhythm. His arms wobbled and he buried his face in Makoto’s neck then groaned into his ear. Laurent thrust all the way into him and bit down on the base of his neck. Makoto hadn’t been prepared for that at all. He cried out and his body squeezed instinctively. Judging by the choked sound the blond made and the way he shuddered, that was exactly what he’d wanted.

Makoto let his arms fall away from Laurent and laid there with them stretched out on either side of himself. His chest rose and fell with the deep breaths he took. His pulse was racing faster than it ever had in his life. Though the blond seemed to be in a similar state. He watched Laurent lift his head. Blue eyes stared into his, seemingly searching for something. Makoto didn’t know what. Laurent shut his eyes then pressed their foreheads together gently. His breaths continued to be haggard.

“I probably should’ve mentioned it before,” Laurent mumbled once he managed to control his breathing. He slowly slid his still hard cock out of Makoto, then slammed it right back in, which made him cry out in surprise. Their eyes met and Laurent leaned in close enough that his lips brushed up against Makoto’s as he purred, “I’m definitely not the kind of person limited to one orgasm per night…”

“ _Hngh_. Fuck!” Makoto exclaimed. He was so sensitive right now that was borderline painful. But damn if it didn’t feel so amazing. He wanted to keep going, ugh.

“Mm, I adore that filthy mouth of yours,” Laurent hummed. He kissed Makoto passionately and with lots of tongue. He couldn’t get enough. He wanted to consume every bit of the guy. Laurent slipped his hands underneath Makoto then pulled him up to a seated position. Now that they were eye to eye it was like an entirely new show. There was a teasing grin upon his face as he said, “I’m going to make you swear in every language you know.”

Laurent didn’t give him a chance to process anything. He put his hands on Makoto’s hips to hold him in place and began to thrust upward. Makoto tossed his head back and moaned loudly. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes. Fuck. Each movement was nearly overwhelming. He didn’t want this sensation to stop. His arms wormed around Laurent’s neck and he clung to him for dear life as he bounced on his lap.

The lewd sounds of skin slapping against skin, squelching lube, and pleasured groans filled the air. Makoto dug his fingers into Laurent’s back hard every time he bottomed out and his cock was completely inside of him. This angle was so deep. So _good_. The come on his stomach from earlier wasn’t even dry yet and he was rock hard again. Makoto swore he was already seeing stars. He might not make it through the night at this rate. If this was how he was fated to die then he had no complaints. Bring it on.

Makoto awoke with a soft gasp. He was immediately aware of the fact that he was naked and being cuddled by Laurent. Flashes of their passionate night together popped into his head as did echoes of the desperate way he’d moaned Laurent’s name. How he’d begged for more. How he’d practically come on command at least twice. His whole face began to burn at the memory.

He slapped his hand over his mouth to keep from making any unwanted sounds. Makoto wasn’t sure he had words to describe just how amazing last night was. Laurent actually wasn’t lying about being an incredible, attentive lover. Why was that not surprising? Makoto wanted another go. Just that thought was so embarrassing he could die on the spot. He jolted in surprise and let out a loud squeak when he felt a soft kiss pressed to the back of his shoulder.

“Good morning, lover.”

“Ah! M-morning!” Makoto yelped. He scooted away from the blond so they were no longer touching. Frankly, he didn’t know how he was even supposed to look at the guy right now.

A moment of silence passed as Laurent watched him. When he finally spoke, there was none of the usual humor in his tone. Laurent’s gaze was fixed upon him as he sighed, “Don’t tell me you’re having regrets about last night.”

“W-well…” Makoto’s cheeks burned so much they hurt. Not regrets, no. But he had no idea how to actually say what was on his mind. It was too embarrassing.

“If it was so terrible that you wish it didn’t even happen I guess I have no choice but to back off, huh?” Laurent sighed. He rolled onto his back to put even more distance between them. “As much as it hurts my pride, I can admit that some people just aren’t compatible in the sack… no matter one’s best efforts.”

Makoto stiffened then immediately rolled over. He didn’t stop until he had the blond pinned beneath him. He was nose to nose with Laurent as he exclaimed, “You’ve got it all wrong! I’m freaking out because we _were_ so compatible!” He shook his head then added, “I haven’t even had breakfast yet but all I want to do is ride your morning wood until my thighs quiver and my legs give out!”

Laurent’s eyes widened. They shined like rare gems as they watched him in awe. It took Makoto a moment to register what he’d just said but as soon as his brain caught up his whole face turned crimson.

“I-I didn’t! Um–!” Makoto shook his head and attempted to flee, only to be caught before he could move.

Laurent smiled devilishly and used his free hand to guide Makoto’s hand to his hard on. He maintained eye contact as he purred, “My morning wood is yours to do whatever you want with. I’m at your mercy, Edamame.”

“Don’t call me that when I’m touching your dick,” Makoto grumbled. He thought about it for a moment then added, “Or at all when it comes to stuff like this.”

Laurent closed his hand around Makoto’s, causing them to both grip his cock firmly through the thin blanket. He lifted his head, leaned in close, and whispered, “As you wish, Ma-ko-to.”

He really couldn’t say what it was about hearing his name upon the blond’s lips, but it sent a jolt of arousal through him like nothing he’d ever felt before. Makoto kissed him hard but quickly pulled away. He didn’t want to get lost in that right now. He was a man on a mission. He kissed his way down Laurent’s torso until he reached his waist, where the blanket rested.

His fingers just barely brushed against the bulge in the blanket and it bounced. Makoto couldn’t help but grin. He pulled back the covers to reveal the needy cock beneath, which was already leaking precome in anticipation. He’d love to say that his mouth wasn’t watering at the sight, but it’d be a lie.

To be perfectly honest, the sight of it now left him a bit in awe. He’d really taken that all night long and he absolutely wanted it again. Though maybe it was his turn to show Laurent that he wasn’t the only one with sexy tricks up his sleeve.

Makoto stopped overthinking things. He licked along the prominent vein that traveled the length of the shaft. That earned him a soft sigh as well as a hand tangling in his hair. Makoto planned on taking his time this morning. He was really going to make Laurent want it before offering any sort of relief. It was about time he got the chance to be the one to drive the other man crazy. He’d make the best of the opportunity. The blond would beg before breakfast.

“I know we have to be discreet but meeting the girls at a hotel that’s more than ninety minutes away seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?” Makoto sighed. He stared out the passenger-side window and watched the world pass by. It was good that Laurent didn’t want him to drive. He was way too distracted to focus. A casual conversation like this felt so strange knowing what they’d just done in the shower before they left home. He fought the urge to squirm in his seat.

“The moment we become lax in our planning is the moment we slip up,” Laurent replied. “And that’s how cons end up failing.”

Sure, that made sense, but Makoto couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t exactly the whole truth. He had a deadpan expression on his face as he sighed, “Let me guess, it was the only place around with five-star accommodations.”

“That too,” Laurent chuckled.

Makoto rolled his eyes and shook his head. At least traffic was light. They’d make it to the hotel earlier than expected at this rate. He continued to stare out the window and contemplate a great many things. Now was probably a good time for them to discuss what happened. Though Laurent seemed content enough to hum along to the radio and act like nothing changed. Didn’t it? Or was Makoto overthinking everything like always?

That was probably true. There was nothing wrong with a casual sexual relationship. Maybe it was where they were always headed, he didn’t know. Not to mention actually being intimate with each other would make their story that much more convincing so that was a plus. He fiddled idly with the ring on his left hand and continued to zone out. Now that he really thought about it, it was a good thing that they didn’t start such a conversation in this confined space where he had nowhere to flee if necessary. Silence was definitely golden.

Makoto shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat. All too suddenly he realized that he was exhausted. Both physically and mentally. After such an eventful evening then morning he could use a rest for sure. It was time for his brain to shut off for a little while. He listened to the soothing sound of Laurent’s soft humming and let himself be lulled to sleep.

“Time to wake up, sleeping beauty~”

The angelic voice was a lie. Makoto knew there was actually a devil attached to it. He felt a soft kiss pressed to his cheek and jolted in surprise then yelled, “I’m up! What are you doing!”

“I couldn’t help it. You’re too cute when you sleep, darling.” Laurent chuckled. He shut off the car then added, “We have arrived.”

Makoto rubbed his cheek as if that’d somehow make what happened less embarrassing. He pouted and grumbled, “No one’s even watching. There was no point.”

Laurent blinked at him without a word. Not a moment later a smile spread across his face then he turned away. He opened his door then muttered, “I suppose you’re right.”

Makoto’s frown deepened. He knew that stupid smile. It was the forced one that didn’t reach Laurent’s eyes because he didn’t mean it. Makoto did not like having that smile directed at him. If the guy wasn’t happy about something there was absolutely no reason to act like he was. Whatever. He got out of the car as well then stretched. That catnap sure did help, he had a lot more energy than earlier.

He craned his neck and looked up at the tall building in awe for a second. It sure was shiny. Frankly, it _looked_ like it was expensive. He wouldn’t be surprised if simply standing so close was costing him money somehow. It really suited Laurent.

“Shall we, _mon chéri_?” Laurent asked loudly enough to get the shorter man’s attention.

Makoto stiffened then looked at him. His gaze shifted from that cheeky smile upon his face to the way he offered him his arm. Heck no. They were way too far from the community to have to keep up that ruse. They could actually take a moment and breathe freely. Makoto waltzed right by him as if he didn’t understand the gesture.

They walked into the hotel and Makoto hung back so Laurent could take the lead. After a quick stop at the reception desk, and an eye roll at the blond’s obnoxious flirting later they headed into the elevator.

“Where are we headed?” Makoto asked as the door shut.

Laurent winked and replied, “Penthouse suite, of course.”

That didn’t surprise him one bit. Makoto leaned back against the elevator and waited for their journey to the top floor to finally finish. Once the elevator door opened he waited for Laurent to step out, then he followed. It was a short walk to reach the large wooden doors that opened to the suite. To Makoto’s surprise, they didn’t make it that far.

Laurent grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him off course without warning. Makoto’s surprised yelp was louder than he expected and he was sure it had to have been heard all the way in the suite. Not that he had a chance to think about any of that. He was pulled into a room then his back was slammed up against the door and Laurent’s lips were upon his.

Makoto’s first instinct was to grab him so he could push the guy away, of course. There was no need for them to keep up appearances. Whose benefit was this even for? At least that probably _should’ve_ been what he thought. In actuality, his mind went blank. An instant pang of arousal shot through him and Makoto’s eyes fell shut as he lifted his chin to lean into the kiss.

Laurent broke the kiss to turn his attention to his neck instead and Makoto took quick, shallow breaths. He looked around them and finally realized they were in some sort of linen closet. Didn’t that mean it was even more likely that a maid might interrupt them? He dug his fingers into the blond’s shoulders when he kissed a particularly sensitive spot. It was all he could do to keep from making any noise with the way his head was spinning at the moment.

He gritted his teeth and muttered, “You really are a horndog, aren’t you?”

“Mhm.” Laurent hummed against his neck.

“I can’t believe you…” Makoto managed to grumble between soft gasps. “Anyone could– _ahh_! Anyone could find us here.”

“Mm… so?” Laurent purred. His hand slid downward to rub the front of Makoto’s pants. He kissed his cheek then whispered, “I’ll stop whenever you tell me to. Though it seems like you’re more interested than you’re letting on, _mon chéri_.”

Blush burst into Makoto’s cheeks. It might’ve been true but the guy didn’t have to actually _say_ it, sheesh. He looked off to the side and muttered, “It’s not like you brought–”

Laurent kissed him before he could finish the thought. He pulled away, winked, then grinned as he said, “Of course I did. I’m a married man, after all. That means I can anticipate all of my husband’s possible needs.”

Makoto narrowed his eyes at him and grunted, “I’m not sure how to feel about the fact that you think your dick is one of my needs…”

“Honored, of course.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Makoto snorted.

“ _Mon amour_ ,” Laurent brought his hand to his face and kissed the ring upon his finger, “there’s no point in trying to lie to me.”

“Why are you like this?” Makoto grunted. He didn’t wait for a response and leaned in to resume kissing the blond. This time it was much more enthusiastic on his end. Makoto couldn’t help himself, he was lost to his desire the moment their lips met. As Laurent said, there was no point in trying to lie. Annoying as it was, he desperately wanted this man. Again. They sure had opened a floodgate last night.

Laurent offered Makoto the cigarette he’d just taken a puff of. Ah, that hit the spot. He waited for the shorter man to do the same and hand it back to him then nodded. He stuffed the butt into his pocket ashtray then opened both doors to the penthouse suite at the same time and called, “Honeys we’re home!”

It was unnecessary, a show of theatrics that Makoto could absolutely do without. At the same time he was a lot more relaxed than usual– that post-orgasm high was still working its magic– and he really couldn’t be bothered to care. What he needed right now was coffee and as soon as they stepped into the room, he could smell that some had been brewed. Nice.

They meandered into the kitchen where both Abigail and Cynthia were sitting at the table. Each of them had a mug in front of them as they did things on their phones. Laurent cleared his throat to get their attentions, not that it was necessary with how he’d announced their arrival a moment ago, and the two of them glanced at him.

Makoto waved and offered a morning greeting. After that he scurried over to the coffee pot, so very thankful that it was still fresh. He wasted no time in getting himself a mug so he could fill it.

Cynthia picked up her mug and cradled it in her hands. She barely spared them a passing glance as she said, “You’re fashionably late.”

“You know how it is being newlyweds,” Laurent hummed. He shrugged, shook his head, then sighed, “We just _had_ to sneak off for a quickie.”

Makoto dropped the empty mug he’d been holding and let out a surprised yelp. Thank goodness he hadn’t been holding the one full of the scalding hot liquid. He couldn’t believe his ears right now. Did Laurent seriously just tell everyone the truth without any hesitation whatsoever?

A moment of silence passed. Then another. Cynthia snorted and waved a dismissive hand at the blond then said, “Yeah, right, and I was crowned the queen of England since the last time we saw each other.” She shook her head then took a sip of her drink. Abigail hummed in agreement, not interested in looking away from whatever was on her phone.

Huh? What was this? Makoto could hardly fathom any of it. Was he saved by a miracle that made neither of them believe Laurent? For once was the universe proving to be on his side when he needed it most? Had the guy known this would be the way the ladies would react? He didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.

“Your mistake was forgetting who you were talking about,” Abigail snorted. She motioned towards Makoto with her head then added, “That virgin doesn’t have the balls to do that kind of thing in a semi-public location.”

“Not a virgin,” Makoto and Laurent replied at the same time. Abigail flipped the pair off and got right back to what she was doing. Makoto did the same, offering the blond a cup of coffee as well. He hadn’t realized he’d even been doing that. It was habit at this point to make him whatever he was having.

Cynthia set down her mug and tucked her hair behind her ear. She eyed Laurent for a moment as he graciously accepted the offering. She tilted her head and said, “You’re practically glowing. More so than usual. Did something good happen?”

“Every day I know you is good, my dear,” Laurent replied with a wink.

“Why are you flirting with me?” Cynthia asked. She wagged a finger at him and frowned. “Aren’t you a married man?”

“For shame,” Abigail added without looking up from her phone.

They continued to chat idly, but Makoto didn’t hear a word of it. His focus was on his coffee. He was way too distracted thinking about the fact that yeah, something good did happen. Countless times in the last twenty-four hours. And it’d happen again later tonight, too. There wasn’t any reason for it not to. He glanced at Laurent out of the corner of his eye and was met with a wink.

Makoto felt his ears start to burn and he quickly looked away. He continued to sip the drink without a word. Luckily for him, there wasn’t much he could say during this meet up. It was mostly about a smaller con that Abigail and Cynthia were running on the side of the larger one. And apparently it was near completion too. Impressive as always. Now if only he could focus on anything that wasn’t the world’s most annoying blond bastard for five seconds, that’d be great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Makoto pls youre not one to talk about Laurent being a horndog you haven’t stopped thinking about sex either… though I do get it yeah
> 
> Abby and Cynthia not believing the truth is so funny X’D
> 
> I cant think of anything to say about this chap that’s not embarrassing so I’m just gonna fade into the shadows I guess and hope people are still looking forward to more pfft


	4. Chapter 4

For Makoto, waking up and finding himself being cuddled by Laurent felt very different now that the nature of their relationship had changed. Not in a bad way. Especially not since they’d start out most mornings with a sensual, lazy fuck, and end their evenings with a passionate one. Of course that wasn’t written in stone and it depended on their moods. Then there were the other random times throughout the day when one or both of them had an itch that needed scratching. There really was no telling how many times they’d give into their carnal desires before dinner.

It wasn’t just about the sex, amazing as that was. Taking that step changed things in their daily lives as well. There was a domesticity about them now that was near impossible to ignore. It was almost as if they actually _were_ a married couple. That wasn’t bad since it made their act a lot more natural, thus more convincing. So everything worked out for the better. Though the whole thing still felt a bit surreal. Makoto couldn’t even imagine what his past self would say if they ever met and he tried to explain this situation to him.

If he had to guess, he’d say that past him would probably slap him then ask if he was being held hostage. Frankly, he got that. Scrolling through social media on his phone while sitting in a ridiculously comfortable recliner in the living room that he and Laurent shared was never a place he’d thought he’d end up. The worst part was probably that he wouldn’t have anything to say for himself if asked.

Past him didn’t know all that was in store. There were circumstances to consider. Lots of things he’d had yet to experience with Laurent, both good and bad, as well as years of copious amounts of growth on both their ends. This hadn’t been rushed at all. Makoto frowned at the thought. He didn’t even know why he was trying to figure out his side of an imaginary argument right now. He was probably just tired. He set down his phone then dragged his hands down his face slowly.

“You seem tense,” Laurent hummed as he walked up behind him. As soon as he was within reach he massaged Makoto’s shoulders and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help you relieve that?”

“You could get on your knees and put that mouth of yours to good use,” Makoto replied without missing a beat.

Laurent bent down, kissed his cheek, then purred, “I do so love it when you’re demanding.”

Makoto watched the blond saunter around the chair until he stood in front of him. He made a whole show of slowly kneeling between his legs and unbuckling his pants. That was fine, Makoto had all the time in the world to watch. Frankly, the guy looked really good from this angle. Laurent nuzzled his half-hard cock through his pants before he finally unzipped them.

As usual, Laurent was very enthusiastic about sucking dick. He made it seem like it was the single best thing he’d ever put in his mouth as he bobbed his head along the length. There was lots of eye contact as well. The combination of such a sexy sight and pleasurable stimulation gave Makoto’s cock no choice but to be fully erect within the first thirty seconds. Not that he was upset about that or anything. It felt amazing.

He tangled his hand in Laurent’s hair and watched as his cock disappeared into that frustrating mouth then reappeared soaking wet. Hot. This was probably the best use for the blond’s mouth and Makoto savored the wet, slurping sounds. It wasn’t long before he was unable to contain his own noises.

His hips bucked on their own in an attempt to try and stay in the pleasurable warmth as long as possible as Laurent lifted his head. Makoto leaned his head back against the chair and groaned each time Laurent took the whole thing down to the base. Bastard had no business being so good with that sly tongue of his. If he could make words right now he’d probably say that. Instead his toes curled when the blond hummed around his dick.

Laurent pulled off his cock with an exaggerated pop then practically slithered up Makoto’s body the motion was so fluid. When they were eye to eye, the blond kissed him passionately. He pulled away just enough to whisper, “Mm, _mon chéri_ , the sounds you make are so erotic. I’m all worked up now.”

Makoto could relate. He didn’t say a word and simply closed the distance between them, claiming Laurent’s lips in another heated kiss. At the same time his hands worked on unbuttoning the blond’s pants. He slid the fabric over the curve of Laurent’s butt and gravity took over from there. No underwear. The usual.

Laurent broke the kiss and hummed, “Right side.”

Makoto let his hands fall away from the blond and watched as he took a step back to remove his clothes. That was a show in itself with Laurent. He stuck his hand into the crevice on the right side of the chair and quickly found what he was looking for. They had similar bottles of lubricant hidden all over the house since there was no telling when or where a certain mood might strike. He honestly couldn’t recall where they all were. It was always interesting to find one in a seemingly random spot while cleaning.

He shimmied out of his own pants and kicked them off. Afterwards, Makoto squirted a generous amount of lube into his palm. He closed the little bottle and stuffed it back into its place at the same time as he stroked his slicked hand along his length. He gripped the base and held it, drawing the blond’s attention. His gaze was fixed upon Laurent as he said, “Sit.”

“Yes, mister Thierry,” Laurent replied with a nod.

Any other time Makoto would’ve grumbled something about not calling him that. Right now, it was actually pretty hot. Though that could’ve been because Laurent turned his back to him, swung his leg over his lap, then immediately sat on his cock. He leaned back against Makoto’s chest and took the whole thing down to the base in one go, clearly not in the mood to wait. He gyrated his hips slowly, rubbing his butt against Makoto’s lap with a soft groan.

Makoto squeezed the blond’s hips and moaned against the back of his neck. The sound brought out a similar one from Laurent, who continued to ride his dick as if it was the last thing he’d ever do. Makoto knew that the natural curve of his cock at this specific angle was just right for continuous prostate stimulation. Whenever Laurent was in the mood to be fucked he couldn’t get enough of riding him just like this. That worked for Makoto since he could go at whatever pace he wanted and the blond would always end up seeing stars.

This time was no different. Makoto groaned then gripped Laurent’s hips tighter and thrust upwards at an unforgiving pace. No slow build up right now. He wanted it hard and fast. Each snap of his hips stimulated Laurent’s perfect spot and it wasn’t long at all before he was at the point of no return.

Laurent squeezed his eyes shut and gasped, “ _Hng_ … Makoto… don’t stop… just like _that_!”

God that was hot. His name muttered so desperately, as if it was the only thing in the world the blond needed. It made him want to keep this up for hours on end just so he could hear the guy beg. Makoto’s pace didn’t falter. He slammed all the way into him, nipped at his ear, and purred, “Come for me, Laurent.”

Laurent made a choked sound as his body clenched around the cock sheathed within him. Stars exploded in his eyes and his whole body shuddered with his release. The cry that escaped him was wordless yet somehow full of everything he could’ve possibly wanted to say.

Makoto paused to kiss the back of Laurent’s shoulder. He reached around to wipe the smear of come off his stomach then offered his fingers to the blond. Makoto’s gaze was fixed upon him as he turned and sucked those fingers enthusiastically, until they were covered in nothing but his own spit. Hot. Filthy. Laurent glanced at him afterwards. Makoto loved being the cause of that dazed expression he saw. It was so stinking arousing.

He didn’t hold back as he began to thrust once again. The combined sound of squelches from the lube and their pleasured groans made a beautiful song. Without warning Makoto grabbed a fistful of Laurent’s hair and yanked. He swore under his breath at the way Laurent tightened around him when he cried out.

Makoto slid his hands up Laurent’s sweaty torso then pinched his nipples. The blond moaned and leaned back against him. Makoto kissed his neck then muttered soft praise in Japanese. That happened sometimes when he couldn’t think clearly, just like it did with Laurent in the heat of the moment. Frankly, Makoto found it sexy as heck.

Laurent turned to kiss him over his shoulder and Makoto took the opportunity to slam his cock all the way into him. He gladly swallowed the blond’s desperate cry while he continued to thrust upward mercilessly.

Makoto watched Laurent come two more times totally untouched before he finally reached his own climax as well. Good thing, too. The blond was a shaky mess after the third one and could barely hold himself upright anymore. Not that Makoto minded doing the heavy lifting. They kissed lazily, enjoying the feeling of one another as they came down from their post-orgasm highs.

No matter if one was giving or receiving, prostate orgasms were so fucking amazing. They were sexy as hell and a huge turn on. Unsurprisingly, Makoto neither had nor gave as many with any other partner in his life as he did with Laurent. The guy was the definition of an overachiever. It was both infuriating and incredible.

Makoto slipped his flaccid cock out of the blond and nuzzled his shoulder. He felt his own seed leak out of Laurent slowly and ooze onto his lap. Ugh. The thought of having to clean up sounded so tedious. His arms wormed around Laurent’s waist and squeezed, totally content to stay like this for a bit. He didn’t need anything else right now.

A loud noise outside caught his attention and his gaze shifted to the left. Makoto made a choked sound as they both watched a truck drive by. He blinked a few times then grumbled, “You didn’t close the blinds all the way. Anyone could’ve seen what we were up to just now.”

“Whoopsie~” Laurent hummed in a singsong tone. He turned around so he no longer had his back to Makoto and winked. “At least it was a damn good show.”

Part of him wanted to snap at the blond. The other was way too relaxed to care. Makoto didn’t say a word as Laurent yawned, stretched, then hugged him. Oh, well. As he lifted his chin to meet the blond halfway for a lazy kiss, he guessed that something like that didn’t really matter right now.

Laurent’s lips lingered against his for a moment before he finally purred, “Come to bed, honey-bear.”

“It’s only lunchtime!” Makoto squeaked. Not that he could really blame the guy. Coming that many times so close together would leave anyone exhausted. Though he didn’t know why he had to be roped into sleeping it off. Laurent nuzzled his cheek with a little coo and Makoto let out a soft sigh. He supposed a nap didn’t sound like the _worst_ idea.

They headed to their bedroom and did the minimal amount of cleanup necessary with wipes they had on hand. They could do a better one later. That was good enough for now. Laurent pouted until Makoto took off the rest of his clothes too then the both of them practically collapsed onto the bed.

They took a moment to get comfortable under the blankets. Makoto laid on his back with Laurent clinging to his chest like a koala. He played with the guy’s blond locks idly, suddenly hit with the urge to nap as well. He was just that content.

Laurent yawned then nuzzled his chest and asked, “Do you think we should get a cat?”

“What for?” Makoto mumbled.

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? To have a fuzzy little friend around.” Laurent replied. A grin spread across his face and he said, “We could call it Kitty von Knife-Toes or Scream Machine.”

“That’s a bit ridiculous,” Makoto snickered. Though he could admit he’d heard worse. Some people were entirely too creative with their pet’s names. That kind of thing wasn’t necessary in the slightest.

“What would you call it, then?” Laurent asked softly.

Makoto hadn’t really thought about that before. Maybe he never saw himself staying in one place long enough to adopt a pet and be able to give it a decent home. Could something like that really be possible in this place they’d built together? It felt like a dream. Still, there was no reason not to play along right now. He shrugged then replied, “Something normal like Masamune or Tama, I guess.”

Laurent was quiet for a moment before he finally said, “I bet it’d be a picky eater.”

“Probably because you’d spoil it,” Makoto agreed. He could only imagine them getting into a disagreement at the supermarket about whether or not a tiny fuzzball needed the most expensive food on the market. Then he’d probably end up making the cat’s food himself because there were a lot of benefits and no preservatives involved.

Laurent hummed in agreement. He nodded and replied, “That goes without saying, _mon chéri_. Only the best for our little Tama Knife-Toes.”

“That’s a terrible name,” Makoto sighed. Compromise wasn’t always the answer. If they were serious about this, they’d have to put some actual thought into it. Not that Laurent was ever serious about much. Still, the idea did make him chuckle. The two of them as doting cat dads was a pretty funny mental image.

“We can work out the details later.” Laurent lifted his head. He offered Makoto a crooked smile and added, “For now, I need a goodnight kiss to give me sweet dreams.”

Makoto shut his eyes as their lips met in a chaste kiss. Such a simple action was enough to make his heart skip a beat. Laurent laid his head back down on his chest and shut his eyes with a content hum. Makoto resumed running his fingers through his blond locks.

While he would’ve liked to sleep as well, it seemed that his mind wanted to race. This fake life of theirs sure was something. Truthfully, he wouldn’t actually mind if it lasted for a little while longer. He smiled to himself then his grip on Laurent tightened and he pushed all other thoughts aside. All that mattered was the here and now. He could overthink everything else another time. He kissed the top of Laurent’s head and his eyes fell shut as well.

*

Makoto wandered into the living room to find Laurent sitting on the couch. There were papers strewn about the coffee table and the blond was wearing the reading glasses he swore he didn’t need because he ‘wasn’t that old and his eyesight was perfect like the rest of him’. He seemed to be frowning at whatever he was reading. The sight was actually pretty cute. However, it was just as concerning. He cleared his throat and when Laurent looked up at him he offered one of the two mugs he held.

“Ah. _Merci, mon ange_. You’re a godsend.” Laurent said with a nod as he accepted the drink. He blew on the coffee then took a sip. After a soft hum of approval Laurent frowned at the paper once again and mumbled, “This isn’t good at all.”

“What isn’t?” Makoto asked as he looked down at the papers. He sipped his coffee and twisted the ends of Laurent’s blond locks around the fingers of his free hand idly. He was only partially aware of the instinctual action as he looked at the documents.

“Things aren’t progressing at all how we’d hoped,” Laurent sighed. He set the mug down and moved some papers around before he found a specific one he wanted to look at. He picked it up and shook his head. “We’ve gone to countless baby showers, hosted too many potlucks, answered a plethora of invasive questions about our relationship, and yet it still seems like we’re stuck at square one.” He tossed the paper aside then dragged his hands down his face.

“Yeah, it’s pretty crazy,” Makoto agreed, “You’re even in a book club.”

“Don’t remind me. The latest one is just awful.” Laurent leaned back and laid his head against the couch then said, “At this rate it’ll end up costing us more to run this con than we can possibly make by completing it. I think it’s time we stir the pot a bit and finally get things moving in the right direction.”

“How so?” Makoto asked, sipping his coffee.

“Let’s give the target the perfect opening to finally make her move,” Laurent suggested. He removed his glasses and set them aside then crossed his arms and explained, “The two of us can stage a very public fight then you’ll storm out. That’ll leave poor little me a vulnerable mess in need of consoling.”

“Oh. Right.” Makoto’s words were soft and his fingers stopped twisting the hair between them. He couldn’t say he was fond of this plan, but it probably made sense. They did have a job to finish up and if that meant this was necessary so be it. There was a tightness in his chest that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Makoto could hardly believe he was actually kind of upset about losing the comfort he’d grown to have in this fake home of theirs. Whatever happened to not getting attached? It was all fake from the start. This was inevitable. In fact, they were supposed to have wrapped it up weeks ago. He was just thinking out loud as he muttered, “It’s not like we could live in this fantasy world forever.”

Laurent raised a curious eyebrow in his direction and asked, “You all right, Edamame?”

Ah. That was right. He wasn’t Laurent’s ‘darling’ or ‘honey-bear’ or anything else of the sort. Never had been. He was ‘Edamame’, a mere tool in the blond’s grand plan. The fact that the thought made his chest hurt was so pathetic it was almost funny. Makoto forced a smile and replied, “Yeah, no, that totally makes sense. It’s a good plan, which is a surprise coming from you heh.”

“Agree to disagree on that last bit.” Laurent pouted. He reached up to put his hand atop Makoto’s, but it fell away from him before he could. Laurent was silent after that as he attempted to study the expression upon his face.

Makoto set down his mug then turned away from the blond. There really wasn’t anything more to say on the subject, that was that. He’d leave the script for the big scene to Laurent. As always, he’d play the part assigned to him. Ever the team player and whatnot. Makoto started to walk away as he said, “Good to know that we’re almost done here, huh? It was getting a little too routine. It’ll be so nice to have my own space again.”

“Hey…” Laurent started but didn’t continue the thought.

It was better this way. Makoto knew that as he continued to leave the room. Things would get back to normal eventually and this whole ordeal would be just another past case. The horrible feeling in his chest would become naught but a memory. He’d laugh about it one day.

“Would you hold on a second?” Laurent called after him.

Makoto waved over his shoulder. He didn’t break his stride as he said, “I feel a migraine coming on so I’m going to take a nap.” He heard the couch creak as the blond stood. “Alone.”

Makoto continued on his way until he finally reached their bedroom. He shut the door behind himself, certain that he hadn’t heard the sound of footsteps following him. So there were times when even Laurent could read a room and act according to another’s wishes. Good to know. He fell face-first onto the bed and let out an exasperated sigh. He buried his face in his pillow.

The pain in his chest radiated outward and he hated it. This wasn’t fair at all. The fact that he was the only one suffering like this felt like some sort of cruel joke. Maybe it was the universe’s way of mocking him for letting himself grow to care for a guy that was only in this for the money they’d make when it was finally over. He couldn’t be sure. All he did know was that it really, really sucked.

It wasn’t surprising in the slightest to find that Laurent had their fight all figured out within forty-eight hours. He could be efficient when he wanted to. Clearly he was motivated to be done with this con. Makoto nodded as his role was explained. Yeah, he got it. No, there was no need to repeat anything. They’d make their move at the gathering later tonight. It was an opportune moment, uh huh. He could barely even make eye-contact with the blond as he talked.

In actuality, it wasn’t that difficult to act like he was upset with Laurent. There was always something he could yell at the guy about. Causing a scene about some made up issue in the middle of someone else’s home was surprisingly interesting. Not to mention Makoto splashed his drink on him to really sell it. That bit was improvised and way more satisfying than it probably should’ve been. After that he’d stormed off in a huff that wasn’t a total lie.

Now that he was back home from causing that drama, he took a drag off the cigarette he’d lit to calm his frazzled nerves. He exhaled the smoke then let out a defeated sigh. His part of the plan was over. The rest was up to Laurent. It was only a matter of time before he got word that the job was done.

Makoto wandered to their bedroom and put out the cigarette in the ashtray on the nightstand. It hadn’t helped as much as he’d hoped. After that he flopped down onto the bed. He dug his phone out of his pocket then unlocked it and blinked at the screen when the last thing he’d been looking at popped up. Apartment listings.

Right. He’d started looking for a place when he realized this job would be over soon. Before that, though, he’d been researching local shelters. Ratings were important since he wanted to make sure to support a place that treated their animals right. Makoto felt rather silly about it now. It seemed so obvious that Laurent hadn’t been serious about the cat thing now that he thought about it. Another whimsical lie to feed the fantasy they’d been living in. Makoto was simply the fool lost in a dream.

That illusion was shattered now. The problem was that he wasn’t sure where he wanted to go after this. Maybe back to where it all began. He hadn’t lived in Japan in quite a few years. Although, he heard England was nice this time of year. Anywhere that put an ocean between him and all the memories they’d made in this house sounded great.

He was too drained for this right now so he set his phone on the nightstand. Then his mind betrayed him in the worst possible way and wandered to Laurent. The guy was probably laughing as he fell into bed with the mark right now. A wave of nausea hit Makoto so suddenly that he groaned. There was no need for that. Laurent was never actually his or anything. This was the plan all along. He should be happy that it went off without a hitch. Yeah.

Makoto rolled onto his side and frowned to himself. He removed the wedding band from his finger and held it in his palm. While he knew it was ridiculous, his chest hurt so much he could barely breathe. It was something he’d felt before, so he was familiar with it. Real pain of an actual break up. His feelings for Laurent were genuine. He hated that. Knowing he’d grown to feel something for that guy even though it was all just an act on his end was like some sort of cruel joke.

He shut his hand and squeezed the ring. Next Makoto’s eyes fluttered shut. Tears leaked out of the corners of them, slowly making their way down to his pillow. There they were absorbed like they’d never happened. This was so stupid. It was all pretend from the very start and Makoto _knew_ that. Believing what they had was anything but an act for even a millisecond made him the idiot in the scenario.

It was still pretty early but Makoto felt sick to his stomach so he decided it made sense to go ahead and turn in. After a quick nap he’d get up and then pack his things. His eyes fell shut and he was fully aware of the weight of the ring still in his palm. Makoto didn’t care about that. He was far too distracted now that he realized this was the first time he had to fall asleep alone in this bed since the con started. It was surprisingly big. A lot colder than he’d realized, too. Damn.

What a silly thing to get hung up on. He pulled the covers up over his shoulder and let out a soft sigh. He should be happy. They’d get their money soon and finally go their separate ways again. It was exactly what he’d wanted since this con began. He’d be on his own. Just him against the world, as it should be. He buried his face in the covers, cursing the fact that he could smell the blond’s skin upon them.

Makoto opened his eyes and blinked at his hand. His fingers twitched and he immediately noticed that he was no longer holding his ring. It was back on his finger. What the heck? When did he…? The bed dipped behind him and he turned to look over his shoulder. As soon as he saw Laurent his eyes widened.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Laurent asked softly, his usual smile upon his face.

“What are you–!” Makoto sat up and rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. He blinked a few times and when the blond didn’t disappear like a mirage he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Laurent tilted his head and hummed, “Where else am I supposed to sleep?”

“At your new girlfriend’s place, duh.” Makoto grumbled. Yeah, that wasn’t exactly a way to say he was happy to see the guy but maybe he wasn’t. Knowing what he’d just been doing with someone else then having him in their shared bed like nothing was wrong wasn’t exactly cause for celebration. The jealousy that bubbled in his gut was uncalled for and felt horrible.

“I’d never date the target of a con… more than three times…” Laurent muttered with a wink. He shrugged and shook his head then added, “Besides, we were misinformed from the get-go.”

Makoto narrowed his eyes at the blond and asked, “Meaning what?”

“As it turns out, our mark wasn’t into men. It was the wife she always lead astray with her charms. While that explains why she never tried to make a move on either of us, I’ll admit it’s still frustrating.” Laurent sighed. He looked off to the side as he added, “The job ended up being Cynthia’s after all that careful planning we did.”

“Wait, what? Is she OK?” Makoto gasped.

Laurent nodded and replied, “But of course. She’s a pro. Job’s done.”

Makoto stiffened. He jumped to his feet and shouted, “Then you should’ve lead with that! Let’s get out of here!”

“We still have a few hours before she notices anything is amiss,” Laurent replied calmly.

“Exactly!” Makoto yelled. That was no time at all. He started to rummage through his dresser drawer in search of the clothes he refused to leave behind. “Let’s go! We have to call the cleanup crew and make arrangements and–”

“Edamame…”

Makoto continued to ramble nonsense to himself as he gathered seemingly random things. All the planning they’d done and he didn’t already know what he should take with him when it was time to leave? Honestly, that wasn’t like him at all. Maybe he should just leave everything and start fresh.

“Makoto.”

He froze at the sound of his name then slowly turned around to look at the blond. The only time Laurent ever called him that was during sex. And that only happened for the sake of the con… or something. He didn’t know. The point was that it was over, so it was really weird hearing it now.

“Join me for a second.” Laurent pat the bed next to himself and smiled. He waited for a moment before he added, “Before we leave and put this job behind us, I want to make something perfectly clear.”

Makoto sat down where the guy motioned. He was simply too curious not to. His eyes widened when Laurent reached up and brushed his knuckles down his cheek gently. Oh, to be able to ignore the way his heart fluttered at such a simple touch. His eyes fell shut and it took every ounce of self-control that he could muster not to lean into it. Simple as it was, he was really going to miss it.

“Our relationship status aside,” Laurent said softly, “not a single thing about the time I spent with you during this job was faked.”

Makoto’s cheeks darkened at the sincerity he saw in those blue eyes. As if the words themselves weren’t embarrassing enough, sheesh. He looked away from the blond and muttered, “What are you saying? That’s…”

His voice trailed off as he thought about how Laurent clung to him at night and his constant need to show him affection which was borderline annoying. Not to mention the ways he complimented him even when a situation didn’t necessarily call for it like when he cooked. The blond was always grateful and smiling, and as respectful as someone like him could probably be.

Heck, even though Laurent had joked and teased about things, he’d never even tried to make any actual moves on him until Makoto initiated it himself. He had no idea how he’d never realized any of that before this moment. Makoto was knocked out of his own thoughts when the blond continued.

“I really thought I _could_ fake my way through it and move on like it never happened, but I didn’t count on realizing that my feelings for you ran deeper than I expected,” Laurent explained. He hummed to himself then corrected, “Or maybe they didn’t at first. Perhaps they changed and grew the more time I spent with you.”

He let his hand fall away from Makoto’s face so he could place it atop the one closest to him. Laurent squeezed his fingers gently and said, “All that aside, what I’m saying is that even if given the chance I wouldn’t have slept with the mark for the sake of this con. I would’ve figured out another way.”

The relief that flooded through Makoto was so ridiculous it was shocking. He really didn’t want to have to think about Laurent with some babe while he moped around in their bed. It seemed like such a silly thing to be worried about, yet he felt lighter somehow.

“In truth, I couldn’t live with the thought of hurting you like that,” Laurent paused and smiled that awful smile of his. The one that didn’t reach his eyes because it wasn’t sincere. The one that made Makoto’s chest ache to see. Laurent removed his hand and his gaze fell downward then he sighed, “even if it was all just pretend on your end. I do think you deserve props by the way. You truly are an amazing actor. Even I found myself wanting to believe the lie.”

“I know I’m amazing and a great pretender and all that, but I could never fake it to that degree you lunatic!” Makoto exclaimed. He didn’t wait for a response. He tackled Laurent and started to kiss all over his face. The blond’s surprised yelp before he wrapped his arms around him was so funny and super satisfying to boot. It was about time Makoto wasn’t the one caught off guard.

He continued to smooch Laurent’s face as he muttered, “You’re so obnoxious. I wanna kick your ass.” Kiss. “But I also wanna continue waking up in your arms.” Kiss. “You’re a nuisance.” Kiss. “I regret this already, but I guess I kinda like you. Kiss me.”

Laurent did as was requested without hesitation. He put his hands on either side of Makoto’s face then chuckled against his lips and said, “You like me, that’s _so_ embarrassing.”

“You literally said you liked me first!” Makoto yelped.

“No, I diiiidn’t~” Laurent sang.

Makoto thought about it for a second. Didn’t he…? Whatever, it didn’t even matter. He pouted and grumbled, “Well, that’s what I heard.”

Laurent tucked his dark hair behind his ear and teased, “Wishful thinking, darling.”

“You’re so annoying! I don’t even care!” Makoto exclaimed. He fisted both hands in Laurent’s shirt then leaned in close and whispered, “I want you to make love to me one last time as my husband.”

Laurent’s arms wrapped around him and his hands slowly slid down his back. His voice was a gravelly purr as he replied, “ _Comme tu veux, mon amour_.” He nuzzled Makoto’s cheek then kissed that spot. He leaned in so that his lips brushed against the other man’s ear as he whispered, “ _Aishiteru_.”

Makoto made a choked sound and his whole face turned red. He quickly hid it in Laurent’s shoulder so the blond wouldn’t see. The sheer amount of joy that flooded his system was utterly ridiculous. He never thought hearing that would make him so happy. Heck, he never thought he’d want to hear it… or return the sentiment.

His cheeks were still burning furiously as he lifted his head and averted his gaze. There was no way he could look Laurent in the eyes right now. This whole thing was embarrassing enough without admitting that he’d looked something like this up. Makoto squeezed Laurent’s shoulders and muttered, “ _Je t’aime_ …”

There was a moment of silence afterwards that felt like it lasted just short of forever. Then came the soft snicker. Makoto turned to look at the blond to see that he was doing his best to hold back a laugh to no avail.

“Your accent is so funny,” Laurent chuckled.

“Never mind! I take it back!” Makoto shrieked. He motioned to pull away from the blond but the arms around him wouldn’t let that happen.

Laurent’s grip on him tightened and pulled him closer. He was all smiles as he kissed all over his face then nuzzled his cheek. “Ah, ah. There’s no way I’m ever letting go of you again, _mon amour_. You have nowhere to run so you might as well accept the feelings we share.”

Makoto pouted and grumbled, “I’m not the one who made fun of you during a heartfelt moment…”

“ _Mon coeur,_ my love,” Laurent kissed his poked-out lip, “it’s just because I’m unable to contain all this ecstasy you make me feel.”

“I guess it’s not so bad when you say it like that,” Makoto grumbled. He allowed himself to relax against the blond and laid his head in the crook of his neck. “You did go out of your way to learn how to tell me in Japanese. I appreciate the effort.”

It was the truth, even if that was kind of an intense way of saying such in his native tongue and he absolutely wasn’t able to say it back just yet. They might get there one day, but right now he’d stick to using other languages to show his affection. He was sure that the blond wouldn’t mind one bit.

“ _Oui_ , I’m incredible,” Laurent hummed. “You’re very lucky.”

Makoto rolled his eyes and snorted, but he didn’t say a word. He simply laid there and basked in the comforting feeling that flooded his entire being. So this was what it felt like to embrace the person he loved in the home they shared. It didn’t suck. He absolutely could get used to it.

“Now where were we…” Laurent paused and pretended to have to think about it. “Ah, you had a request about your incredibly handsome husband making passionate love to you.”

Makoto lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Less talking, more action.”

“As you wi–”

Makoto didn’t give him the chance to finish. He claimed Laurent’s lips in a heated kiss once more. It was hard to believe that his stupid feelings were mutual after all. The two of them had some things to talk seriously about now but that’d just have to wait. The rest of the world didn’t matter. This moment was theirs alone.

He broke the kiss, put his hands on either side of Laurent’s face, and panted softly against his lips. Makoto searched those impossibly blue eyes and only found bottomless affection staring back at him. He quickly leaned in to resume making out, enjoying the shiver that ran down his spine as Laurent’s hands caressed him lazily. While this might be the last time they’d be making love as faux-husbands, it was only the start of what was sure to be their most grand adventure yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its my birthdayyyyy!! As my gift to myself I completed this fic yayyy!!
> 
> "Comme tu veux, mon amour “ (as you want darling/as you wish my love) feel free to tell me which one its closer to if you speak French!
> 
> They each said I love you in the others native tongue. How daaaaare. Afterwards though if they feel the urge to say such itll be in English -ugly sobbing- 
> 
> Imagine Laurent saying the grossest, sappiest lovey things to Makoto in French and when hes like “huh??” Laurent just smiles and tells him he has bedhead or he dripped some food on his shirt. Later on Makoto tries to google the phrases from memory and ends up a flustered mess
> 
> And yes theyre going to get a place together after this and they absolutely will get that cat one day. Name still a subject of debate.
> 
> * ~ * Thanks to everyone who stuck around until this was finishedddd I sincerely hope you enjoyed it * ~ *


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